EV Cup: Green motor sport becomes a reality

From the Earth Times: The EV Cup will be a new green racing circuit to be held on world class racing tracks in UK, Europe and America over the summer and autumn seasons later this year. The London-based company proudly displayed the new 'green' racing cars at the recent Birmingham International Autosport Show and announced the new era of motor. They have also indicated plans for a city street race of the electric vehicles.

The Director of the EV Cup, Sylvain Filippi says, "The electric car is already changing the world and soon will begin to revolutionise the face of traditional motor-sport across the world by embracing the issues of the day from straightforward zero emissions, to eco-friendly cars, sustainability and corporate social responsibility". The commercial and business world is likely to sit up and take notice now as they see the fantastic opportunity presented by the first green car racing circuit. Being a part of the new eco-friendly sporting event would potentially add significant credibility to a company's sustainability portfolio.

There are two classes in the EV Cup that electric cars can enter into. The City EV class is for carbon-free urban cars and the Sports EV class is for race cars racing 185 kph (or 115 mph) powered by batteries made from lithium ion phosphate. There is a third category planned, called the Prototype EV class, which is to showcase time trials for non-production electric cars driving on both the race and street circuits.

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What consumers need to know about electric car batteries

From the Contra Costa Times: A variety of electric vehicles will hit the market this year, raising questions about the most critical element of any electric car: the battery.

How often do you have to replace the battery? Will it be recycled? Can you charge a battery even if it is not empty? How many charging cycles can the battery handle? Is it true there's a worldwide shortage of lithium?

Lithium-ion batteries can be found in all kinds of consumer products, from laptops to cell phones, and they also will be the power source in at least the first generation of electric cars -- an EV battery is really just a cluster of thousands of cell phone batteries packaged together.

"If I want to buy an electric vehicle, I would want to know how many miles can I drive under REAL driving conditions, how long will my battery last and how long will the battery take to charge," said Venkat Srinivasan, a staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab who writes a popular battery blog at www.thisweekinbatteries.blogspot.com.

The plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt and all-electric Nissan Leaf, the first mainstream plug-ins to reach the market, both offer battery warranties good for 100,000 miles or eight years. That will reassure many consumers, but there still are things they can do to maximize battery life and performance.

"Don't keep continuously fully charging and discharging them," Srinivasan said. "Pressing on the accelerator too much also draws power from the battery at a high rate, and can cause degradation."

Sunil M. Chhaya, an electric drive expert at EPRI, the Electric Power Research Institute, notes that batteries age faster if the temperature of the battery is frequently elevated, and EPRI research has found that heat management inside the batteries is the single most important predictor of battery health and longevity. That's one reason why Tesla uses a liquid cooling system to maximize the life of its battery packs.

"Batteries are like people and perform nicely when their operating temperature is in a 20-45 degrees Celsius (or 68-113 degrees Fahrenheit) window," Chhaya said. "Outside of it, they need to be 'thermally managed,' either by efficient inflow (if the batteries are cold) or outflow (if batteries are hot) of heat with a well-designed thermal system."

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Ghosn says Renault spies 'leaked electric car strategy', not technological secrets

From the AFP: Alleged spying at French car maker Renault targeted its business strategy for electric cars rather than technological secrets, its chief executive said in an interview published Sunday.

"We have come to the conclusion that what got out was not technological information. It could be information on our economic model," the company's boss Carlos Ghosn was quoted as saying by French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche.

"What was targeted was our strategy for the electric cars," he added in the interview, saying that Renault was the only company making all three key elements for the electric car -- batteries, motors and chargers.

Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan have staked their future on electric vehicles and plan to launch several models by 2014 to meet rapidly rising demand for more environmentally friendly methods of transport.

They have invested four billion euros in the programme.

Ghosn was speaking out for the first time since the affair broke two weeks ago.

Renault has sacked three top managers over alleged industrial espionage and has launched legal action. The three executives have said they are suing over the allegations.

Ghosn said Renault had launched an internal probe in August but waited until this month to alert the authorities because "we had to do preliminary research ourselves to get an idea how serious the affair was."

He said he was "surprised and shocked" by the affair but insisted that in investigating it "we have been irreproachable under the law."

He declined to give a view of who might have benefited from the leaking of strategic information. Media reports and analysts have said Chinese companies are suspected but the Chinese government angrily denied this.

"We are waiting for the results of the investigation (launched by the French secret services) which I am told should last several months," Ghosn told the newspaper.

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Mitsubishi to launch eight new green cars by 2016

From the AFP: Japan's Mitsubishi Motors said Thursday that it will launch a new line-up of environmentally friendly cars by March 2016 and double operating profit in the next three years by focusing on emerging markets.

Mitsubishi will launch a total of eight electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, starting with a mini commercial vehicle, the MINICAB-MiEV, the company said as it unveiled a new mid-term business plan.

Japan's fourth-largest automaker launched the i-MiEV, the world's first commercially produced electric vehicle, in 2009 and the race to manufacture greener cars has heated up among rivals such as Nissan, Toyota and Ford.

The new models will also include Mitsubishi's first plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, to be rolled out in the fiscal year starting April 2012 as it looks to boost emerging market production to target growth.

It aims to double operating profit to 90 billion yen ($1.10 billion) in the year to March 2014 and triple net profit to 45 billion yen.

Mitsubishi hopes the new business strategy, which also includes cost cuts, will boost its earnings as it looks to expand its China business through a new joint venture with a local partner.

"There is huge domestic demand in China and people's living standards are rapidly improving. I believe there is no major doubt that China will continue to grow," company president Osamu Masuko told reporters.

The automaker said it would build a third factory in Thailand in fiscal 2011, making the nation the company's second-largest export hub after Japan, and produce a low-price, energy-efficient compact for the growing middle class.

Mitsubishi will also increase capacity in China and Brazil, and begin full-scale production of sport-utility vehicles in Russia.

Masuko said his company wants to maintain its production level in Japan but acknowledged it is "very difficult to keep the current export-oriented structure and expand output and capacity in Japan."

"We have to produce cars where consumers are and where there are less foreign exchange risks," he said.

For many Japanese automakers, the yen's surge against the dollar and the euro has eaten into profits and made exporting from Japan less profitable.

More companies are considering moving production abroad to stay competitive against rivals benefiting from weaker currencies in their home countries.

Mitsubishi's ratio of overseas production to total output is expected to rise to 54 percent in the fiscal year 2013 from 44 percent in fiscal 2010.

Global output is to soar to 1.58 million units from 1.1 million in the same period, the company said.

It targets sales of 2.5 trillion yen in fiscal 2013, up from 1.9 trillion yen expected for fiscal 2010 ending in March 2011.

Mitsubishi shares closed higher Thursday, up 1.69 percent at 120 yen, outperforming a 1.13 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei index.

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Recharging posts for electric cars put into use in Hainan, China

From Xinhua: The first group of four recharging posts for electric vehicles were installed and made operational on Thursday in south China's island Hainan Province as part of the central government's promotion throughout the nation of new energy vehicles.

The recharging posts were erected on Haifu Road in the provincial capital Haikou by Hainan Power Grid Corp., a subsidiary of China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. (CSG).

The recharging posts will mainly be used for a government fleet of 30 electric cars, which will take to the street during the first half of this year, said Hu Bin, a recharging station program director with the Hainan Power Grid Corp.

Haikou was singled out in May 2010 as one of the 25 pilot cities in the country for the promotion and operation of electric vehicles.

Construction of recharging facilities began in November last year by the power company.

According to an electric vehicle development plan by the Haikou municipal government, the city will have installed six recharging stations, along with 759 recharging posts by 2012 to serve 1,050 new energy vehicles, including 400 electric vehicles.

The Chinese government introduced policies in 2010 to boost the development of new energy vehicles, including electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles.

According to a development blueprint released in September last year, China aims to have more than 500,000 new energy vehicles on the road by 2015 and 5 million by 2020.

In the meantime, China will build 4,000 electric vehicle charging stations over the next five years and another 6,000 before 2020.

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Smart to decide on electric scooter by the summer

From Automotive News Europe: DaimlerAG's Smart subsidiary, which is seeing its car sales decline, will decide by the summer whether to expand its lineup by launching an electric motorcycle and an electric scooter, the unit's boss, Annette Winkler, said.

"We want to reach a decision within the next six months. The question is whether the business case is positive," Winkler told Automotive News Europe on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show. Winkler said the business case currently is looking positive.

Smart is talking with potential production partners, but Winkler declined to disclose names of motorcycle makers with which Smart is negotiating. Smart unveiled concepts for the two-wheelers at the Paris auto show in October 2010.

This year, Smart forecasts sales of more than 90,000 units, compared with 97,500 in 2010 and about 134,000 in 2008. Its biggest markets were Germany, Italy, the UK, France and the United States. Last year, U.S. sales decreased to 5,930, compared with 24,000 in 2008, the year that the one-car brand launched sales in the country.

The successor to the current Smart ForTwo two-seat minicar will go on sale at the end of 2013 at the earliest. A four-seat Smart will follow in 2014 and will help boost sales.

Until then, Smart's only innovation will be a full-electric ForTwo, which will launch in 2012 with forecast sales of 10,000. Winkler said electric Smart sales could be combined with offers, such as the possibility to rent a larger car on a short-term basis.

Winkler also hopes to win new customers by selling individualized ForTwo models.

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Portugal: 10% of all cars electric by 2020

Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates said his country wants at least 10% of the nation's car fleet to become electric by 2020. The announcement was made at Abu Dhabi's World Future Energy Summit (WFES 2011), where the Portuguese Government and some of the nation's top CEOs have showcased their latest renewable energy projects.

Mobi.e, Portugal's electric mobility network, was one of the stars, with its stand attracting investors and particularly many young Emiratis interested in electric cars.

CEIIA's MobiCar was also on display, with the Portuguese media reporting on Lebanon's Government interest in the low-cost electric vehicle.

Portuguese technology will soon be incorporated in Masdar City, a high-density, pedestrian-friendly development near Abu Dhabi, where current and future renewable energy and clean technologies are showcased, marketed, researched, developed, tested and implemented.

Related posts (in Portuguese):

VIDEO: Portugal apresenta Mobi.e e MobiCar em Abu Dhabi
MobiCar desperta interesse internacional em Abu Dhabi


More on WFES 2011:

UN calls for clean energy revolution (Khaleej Times)
Renewable energy sector has lots of spark left, experts say (Khaleej Times)
Masdar World Future Energy Summit (Environmental News Network)

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MobiCar desperta interesse internacional

Do Mobi-e: O MobiCar – primeiro veículo eléctrico a utilizar tecnologia portuguesa, integrado na rede de carregamento Mobi.E – está a despertar as atenções na World Future Energy Summit (WFES), em Abu Dhabi. "Há várias entidades interessadas na transferência de tecnologia associada ao carro",afirmou à agência Lusa Manuel Oliveira, director de prototipagem do CEIIA (Centro para a Excelência e Inovação na Indústria Automóvel).

Além de "entidades ligadas ao governo do Líbano", Manuel Oliveira adianta que existem outras empresas internacionais "interessadas na produção e comercialização do carro eléctrico português"

O projecto do MobiCar encontra-se ainda numa fase de protótipo, que compreende a construção de 350 veículos para pré-séries destinados a testes. A produção do veículo deverá iniciar-se no segundo semestre de 2012 pela V.N Automóveis, em Vendas Novas.

Em finais de 2010, numa entrevista ao Diário Económico, o presidente do CEIIA, Aloísio Leão, defendeu a existência de um novo paradigma de mobilidade associada ao automóvel: "Nos últimos salões automóveis internacionais não houve marca que não tenha apresentado um veículo eléctrico. O paradigma actual tem os seus dias contados".

Portugal não só está a investir na produção de carros eléctricos, como também está a desenvolver uma rede – Mobi.E – que assegura o abastecimento destes mesmos veículos, a nível nacional. Prevê-se que no final deste ano, o número de pontos de carregamento chegue aos 1300.

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Einstein and car batteries: Without the magic of relativity, a car’s starter motor would not turn

From The Economist: Albert Einstein never learned to drive. He thought it too complicated and in any case he preferred walking. What he did not know—indeed, what no one knew until now—is that most cars would not work without the intervention of one of his most famous discoveries, the special theory of relativity.

Special relativity deals with physical extremes. It governs the behaviour of subatomic particles zipping around powerful accelerators at close to the speed of light and its equations foresaw the conversion of mass into energy in nuclear bombs. A paper in Physical Review Letters, however, reports a more prosaic application. According to the calculations of Pekka Pyykko of the University of Helsinki and his colleagues, the familiar lead-acid battery that sits under a car’s bonnet and provides the oomph to get the engine turning owes its ability to do so to special relativity.

Relative values

The lead-acid battery is one of the triumphs of 19th-century technology. It was invented in 1860 and is still going strong. Superficially, its mechanism is well understood. Indeed, it is the stuff of high-school chemistry books. But Dr Pyykko realised that there was a problem. In his view, when you dug deeply enough into the battery’s physical chemistry, that chemistry did not explain how it worked.

A lead-acid battery is a collection of cells, each of which contains two electrodes immersed in a strong solution of sulphuric acid. One of the electrodes is composed of metallic lead, the other of porous lead dioxide. In the parlance of chemists, metallic lead is electropositive. This means that when it reacts with the acid, it tends to lose some of its electrons. Lead dioxide, on the other hand, is highly electronegative, preferring to absorb electrons in chemical reactions. If a conductive wire is run between the two, electrons released by the lead will run through it towards the lead dioxide, generating an electrical current as they do so. The bigger the difference in the electropositivity and electronegativity of the materials that make up a battery’s electrodes, the bigger the voltage it can deliver. In the case of lead and lead dioxide, this potential difference is just over two volts per cell.

That much has been known since the lead-acid battery was invented. However, although the properties of these basic chemical reactions have been measured and understood to the nth degree, no one has been able to show from first principles exactly why lead and lead dioxide tend to be so electropositive and electronegative. This is a particular mystery because tin, which shares many of the features of lead, makes lousy batteries. Metallic tin is not electropositive enough compared with the electronegativity of its oxide to deliver a useful potential difference.

This is partly explained because the bigger an atom is, the more weakly its outer electrons are bound to it (and hence the further those electrons are from the nucleus). In all groups of chemically similar elements the heaviest are the most electropositive. However, this is not enough to account for the difference between lead and tin. To put it bluntly, classical chemical theory predicts that cars should not start in the morning.

Which is where Einstein comes in. For, according to Dr Pyykko’s calculations, relativity explains why tin batteries do not work, but lead ones do.

His chain of reasoning goes like this. Lead, being heavier than tin, has more protons in its nucleus (82, against tin’s 50). That means its nucleus has a stronger positive charge and that, in turn, means the electrons orbiting the nucleus are more attracted to it and travel faster, at roughly 60% of the speed of light, compared with 35% for the electrons orbiting a tin atom. As the one Einsteinian equation everybody can quote, E=mc2, predicts, the kinetic energy of this extra velocity (ie, a higher E) makes lead’s electrons more massive than tin’s (increasing m)—and heavy electrons tend to fall in and circle the nucleus in more tightly bound orbitals.

That has the effect of making metallic lead less electropositive (ie, more electronegative) than classical theory indicates it should be—which would tend to make the battery worse. But this tendency is more than counterbalanced by an increase in the electronegativity of lead dioxide. In this compound, the tightly bound orbitals act like wells into which free electrons can fall, allowing the material to capture them more easily. That makes lead dioxide much more electronegative than classical theory would predict.

And so it turned out. Dr Pyykko and his colleagues made two versions of a computer model of how lead-acid batteries work. One incorporated their newly hypothesised relativistic effects while the other did not. The relativistic simulations predicted the voltages measured in real lead-acid batteries with great precision. When relativity was excluded, roughly 80% of that voltage disappeared.

That is an extraordinary finding, and it prompts the question of whether previously unsuspected battery materials might be lurking at the heavier end of the periodic table. Ironically, today’s most fashionable battery material, lithium, is the third-lightest element in that table—and therefore one for which no such relativistic effects can be expected. And lead is about as heavy as it gets before elements become routinely radioactive and thus inappropriate for all but specialised applications. Still, the search for better batteries is an endless one, and Dr Pyykko’s discovery might prompt some new thinking about what is possible in this and other areas of heavy-element chemistry.

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VIDEO: Portugal apresenta Mobi.e e MobiCar em Abu Dhabi

A rede de mobilidade eléctrica Mobi.e e protótipo do primeiro veículo eléctrico de tecnologia portuguesa, o MobiCar, estão em destaque na World Future Energy Summit 2011, o maior evento mundial no sector da energia, que decorre por estes dias, entre 17 e 20 de Janeiro, em Abu Dhabi, nos Emirados Árabes Unidos.

Texto de Mobi.e e vídeo da RTP:


Soluções portuguesas na 'montra' mundial de Abu Dhabi

Na maior feira internacional de energia, que decorre de 17 a 21 de Janeiro em Abu Dhabi (Emirados Árabes Unidos), a aposta de Portugal nas energias renováveis e na mobilidade eléctrica foi sublinhada pelo primeiro-ministro José Sócrates.



No discurso de abertura da World Future Energy Summit (WFES), o primeiro-ministro português lembrou que o país conta com"um dos maiores parques fotovoltaicos do mundo e um dos programas mais ambiciosos na área das energias renováveis". O investimento no sector atraiu para Portugal"as maiores empresas de energia solar, hidrica e eólica", afirmou José Sócrates, que considerou que a aposta é importante não só para o ambiente como para o crescimento económico.

"Portugal é reconhecido nesta área como líder, em resultado das reformas dos últimos seis anos nas energias renováveis, na eficiência energética, na mobilidade eléctrica, na construção sustentável e em smart grids", declarou o primeiro-ministro. "Somos exemplo de como é possível fazer reformas e ter resultados em pouco tempo", defendeu.

Sócrates falou ainda do futuro, afirmando que Portugal tenciona criar em Évora uma smart city semelhante a Masdar. A cidade no emirado de Abu Dhabi, em construção, é a primeira do mundo com zero emissões poluentes, através de projectos inovadores de eficiência energética e mobilidade eléctrica.

Após a cerimónia de abertura, o xeque Khalifa bin Zayed, anfitrião do evento, visitou em primeiro lugar o pavilhão de Portugal, onde estão presentes empresas nacionais como a EDP, Efacec, Eneida, Amorim Isolamentos, Solar Plus, Martifer Solar, Novabase, CEIIA,Tekever, a Janz e o Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, entre outras entidades.

Em busca da internacionalização em Abu Dhabi

É o maior evento mundial do sector energético e uma oportunidade única para a internacionalização de empresas e soluções nacionais na área. Mobi.e, CEIIA, Efacec e Novabase estão na WFES de Abu Dhabi, nos Emirados Árabes Unidos, para celebrar novas parcerias além-fronteiras, numa altura em que um mundo em crise se reinventa e investe na sustentabilidade.

"A presença do Mobi.E no WFES representa essencialmente uma oportunidade para apresentar a nossa solução para a mobilidade eléctrica aos principais players da energia, uma vez que nesta feira estarão presentes milhares de CEO de grandes empresas deste sector", explica João Dias, responsável do Gabinente de Apoio à Mobilidade Eléctrica (GAMEP).

A organização do evento em Abu Dhabi não acontece por acaso. "Abu Dhabi está, de forma muito inteligente, a utilizar as receitas da exploração de petróleo para desenvolver uma economia energeticamente sustentável. Daí ser natural que as autoridades e empresas dos Emirados possam demonstrar interesse por projectos pioneiros a nível mundial como o Mobi.E", considera João Dias, que cita o exemplo de Masdar. As autoridades dos Emirados estão a construir naquele local a primeira cidade do mundo com zero emissões de carbono.

O responsável português afirma que o Mobi.e pode assumir um importante papel na estratégia dos Emirados: "Não existe a nível mundial nenhuma outra solução tão avançada como o Mobi.E que permita tornar a mobilidade eléctrica uma realidade no curto prazo. O Mobi.E encaixa perfeitamente na estratégia de Abu Dhabi de ter o state of the art das tecnologias da sustentabilidade".

O CEIIA (Centro para a Excelência e Inovação na Indústria Automóvel), por seu turno, leva a Abu Dhabi o Mobi.Car, o primeiro automóvel eléctrico de tecnologia portuguesa. O CEIIA está no Médio Oriente tanto para apresentar soluções nacionais como para "identificar projectos que estão a ser criados noutras partes do mundo e, eventualmente, desenvolvê-los em Portugal".

"Apesar de estarem a passar um momento difícil, a crise nos Emirados Árabes Unidos é muito mais suave do que a que se passa em Portugal. Além disso, o sector automóvel, uma das principais áreas de negócio do CEIIA, continua a ser uma indústria onde os EAU apostam fortemente, e nos últimos anos têm procurado novas soluções de mobilidade", aponta o director comercial Alexandre Teixeira. "É precisamente em Abu Dhabi que estão sediadas várias empresas de Fórmula 1", exemplifica o responsável.

A presença no emirado é, por isso, obrigatória. "Estamos a falar de uma das maiores feiras de energia do mundo, onde é possível ter uma grande exposição internacional e por onde, só no ano passado, passaram cerca de 4 mil CEO'S, com poder de decisão e selecção dos projectos onde querem apostar", recorda Alexandre Teixeira.

Para empresas como a Novabase, a presença em Abu Dhabi vai além de uma oportunidade de negócios no Médio Oriente. "A WFES é um evento à escala planetária. Nele estarão presentes os principais actores do mercado da energia e nele se discutem as problemáticas ligadas às diversas fontes de energia e tecnologias, numa perspectiva verdadeiramente global", descreve Luís Lobo.

A empresa tecnológica decidiu em anos recentes investir em força em campos de forte desenvolvimento como o das smart grids e da mobilidade eléctrica. "Estas duas áreas atingiram um patamar de desenvolvimento tal, que permite à Novabase considerar a exploração de mercados internacionais. Como resultado da presença neste evento, esperamos resultados em termos de novas parcerias e, possivelmente, o estabelecimento de contactos com potenciais novos clientes", afirma o responsável.

A Efacec aposta em Abu Dhabi no reforço da internacionalização, num momento em que os seus negócios externos "representam já mais do que actividade em Portugal".

"Esse facto, que deriva de uma aposta estratégica definida há alguns anos, leva a que tenhamos todo o interesse em estar presentes numa feira deste tipo, pois a energia é uma das nossas principais actividades", explica Pedro Silva, director da Efacec.

Em Abu Dhabi, a aposta vai para a inovação. "Seleccionamos algumas actividades da Efacec, ligadas aos novos paradigmas ao nível de sustentabilidade energética, que são a mobilidade eléctrica, as redes inteligentes e as renováveis, as quais daremos a conhecer aos visitantes, esperando desse modo detectar novas oportunidades em mercados externos. Em qualquer destas actividades estamos envolvidos em projectos dos mais avançados a nível mundial e esperamos que isso seja uma vantagem que daremos a conhecer", afirma Pedro Silva.

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VIDEO: Tesla's Model S hits the road

Tesla has just released a video of its Model S silently rolling on a countryside road. And it sure looks and sounds awesome.

From Tesla Motors' own blog: Model S, engineered from the ground as an EV, is meticulously designed for superior aerodynamics, stability and handling, crash safety, performance and range. Before Model S enters production it will have been thoroughly tested using both computer simulations and test vehicles. Tesla will complete two vehicle testing phases, Alpha and Beta. The Alpha phase began in 2010.

While test driving the first Alpha, Tesla Vehicle Dynamicist Graham Sutherland commented: "The first Alpha is amazingly agile for a car of its size. It has great handling balance and poised ride with communicative steering. Just goes to show what combining a low center of gravity with a very stiff body structure can achieve."

The Alphas will be tested extensively in the coming months in all climates. As each Alpha is built, the driving dynamics will evolve and improve.

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One-fifth of drivers likely to consider buying an electric vehicle

IBM's Institute for Business Value research on electric cars and a recent study of auto industry executives suggest eager drivers: Many automobile industry executives believe that sales of traditional vehicles will peak before 2020 and are looking to electric-only vehicles (EVs) as one of the next hot products, but they will first have to address stringent consumer requirements about EV performance, recharging, and convenience.

Taken together, the two studies uncover significant differences between the automobile industry executives IBM spoke to and consumers on the factors motivating consumers to purchase electric vehicles, with auto execs placing greater emphasis than consumers on government incentives and oil prices. The executives were also skeptical of consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for green vehicles.


Why Buy an Electric Vehicle

The insights, from IBM’s Institute for Business Value (IBV), are derived from a new survey of 1,716 U.S. drivers (1) and interviews with 123 auto industry executives (2). The study indicates that, even in these early days, there is a potentially large market for EVs. Nineteen percent of drivers surveyed said that they were either “very likely” or “likely” to consider purchasing an electric-only vehicle when shopping for a new car. This is notable, given that 42 percent of drivers know only “a little” about EVs or have “only heard of them,” suggesting that automakers could increase the pool of potential buyers with sustained educational campaigns.

Thirty percent of drivers surveyed said that they would consider switching to an EV that got 100 miles or less per charge. Current EVs get about 50 to 100 miles per charge.

And 40 percent of drivers said they would pay up to 20 percent more for an electric-only vehicle compared with a similarly-featured gas-, diesel, or hybrid-powered vehicle, with 27 percent saying they would pay 10 percent more and 13 percent saying they would pay 20 percent more.

To drive the price of electric vehicles into this more affordable zone, the IBV research indicates that automakers should initially focus on sales to both consumers and commercial fleets, building scale and creating economic efficiencies in production. Automakers may also need to develop new business models for electric vehicles to overcome the higher initial price.


Home charging: a sticking point

Nevertheless, price of the home charging installation often required to support an EV could pose an obstacle to EV adoption. Only 13 percent of drivers said they would consider spending more than $1,000 to retrofit their residence to support recharging of an electric vehicle. According to industry estimates, retrofitting to a 240 volt outlet accessible to vehicles averages between $1,000 and $2,000.

In addition, two-thirds of consumers expect a price discount on their electricity for charging at home overnight. This expectation could place increasing focus on utilities for time-based pricing to encourage home charging, or more public charging will be required if an electricity discount is not available.

Home charging is considered important to the success of EVs. Of the drivers surveyed, 83 percent said they park their primary vehicle in the driveway or garage of their private residence, as opposed to in a parking lot, on the street, in a shared garage or some other location.

“Even under optimal circumstances, fully recharging an electric-only vehicle takes hours,” said Kal Gyimesi, IBV automotive lead and co-author of the IBV study. “So, it is crucially important that we build an infrastructure that can charge vehicles where their owners park them for extended periods of time – whether that is at home or at work, school, or the store.”


Where to put those charging stations?

Perhaps a reflection of America’s consumer culture, 62 percent of drivers surveyed said they most often parked in a mall or store parking lot when not at home or work. That’s substantially higher than any other location – “on the street” was number two at 17 percent.

“When deciding where to put charging stations, retail hubs like malls and shopping centers are good locations,” Gyimesi said. “It’s easy to envision charging stations in these commercial locations coupled with an advertising and promotion-based business model for local stores – which will help make the economics more feasible.”

Partnering with large employers in target regions to create charging infrastructure in the workplace also makes sense, Gyimesi added.

Consumers were asked what would motivate them to switch from using a vehicle that currently runs on gasoline, diesel or hybrid to an electric-only vehicle. The same question was posed to automobile industry executives, who were asked to rate the importance consumers place on each choice.

Both consumers (71%) and auto execs (81%) rank 'innovative pricing models or lower price overall' first. Auto execs (73%) quote 'significantly higher oil prices' as a major reason behind considering electric cars. Only 51% of consumers quoted the same reason. 'Green image or sustainability concerns' are important for only 48% of consumers and 33% of auto execs. Availability of charging infrastructure is crucial for 62% of consumers and 65% of execs.

The answers illustrate that the automobile industry executives IBM interviewed for this study place far greater weight than consumers on government incentives/regulations (73 percent to 41 percent).

According to the IBV study, when asked executives how automakers could develop mobility solutions, 83 percent said that the best direction would be to shift their product portfolio from conventional vehicles to electrified vehicles (EVs). About half said they expect the annual sales of conventional vehicles to have begun to decline by 2020.


Urban/Suburban/Rural Divide?

Responses for the driver survey were similar across urban, suburban and rural areas -- with some notable exceptions. For example, rural respondents were the most likely (59 percent) to say they would pay nothing more for an electric-only vehicle compared with a similarly-featured gas-, diesel, or hybrid-powered vehicle.

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Ford to hire 7,000 thanks to hybrids and electric vehicles

From the Detroit Free Press: Ford Motor will today announce that it is on course to add 7,000 new jobs through the end of next year, according to a person familiar with the planning.

Of those jobs, 1,800 have already been announced for Ford's Louisville plant, where the Ford Escape SUV is built, and another 2,200 blue-collar jobs and 750 salaried jobs will come by year's end.
Another 2,000 jobs will come next year.

The move comes as Ford puts the finishing touches on its 2006 Way Forward turnaround and begins a period of expansion. Ford is expected to post a profit of $8.2 billion for 2010 and sales are stronger than they have been in years. Sales were up 19.5% last year.

The automaker is also planning to embark on an aggressive strategy to expand its fuel-efficient car models, with a new emphasis on plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars.

"We are going to have, clearly, the most comprehensive electrification strategy available," Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally told the Free Press in a recent interview.

Today at the 2011 North American International Auto Show, Ford is to show off plug-in hybrid and gasoline hybrid versions of its C-Max, a minivan coming to the U.S. from Europe in 2012, as well as a battery-powered Focus Electric compact car.

James Tetreault, Ford's vice president of North American manufacturing, said he expects to add a third shift to Ford's Wayne assembly plant where those models are built by 2012, bringing the workforce to 4,400 from 3,200 today.

Customers, Pick Your Fuel

While Ford might be behind some rivals in offering mainstream electric cars -- a market it will enter later this year with the Focus Electric compact -- the Dearborn automaker has taken a deliberately different tack.

Already the No. 1 domestic seller of hybrids, Ford plans to promote the wide variety of fuel-efficient models across its lineup, stressing the words "choice" and "family of electric vehicles."

Ford is planning to launch five hybrid, plug-in or battery-powered cars in North America by 2012, and it already sells several others.

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Mitsubishi iMIEV já pode ser alugado em Portugal

Do Mobi.e: O primeiro carro eléctrico da Mitsubishi já se encontra à disposição de todos aqueles que o queiram experimentar. Desde 1 de Janeiro já é possível alugar o i-MiEV nos stands Sixt rent a car, em Portugal.

Em comunicado, a empresa alemã de aluguer de automóveis garante disponibilizar "uma tarifa diária exclusiva para este lançamento de modo a satisfazer a curiosidade daqueles que gostam de conhecer novas formas de mobilidade, entrando assim no futuro".

A integração do i-MiEV no serviço de aluguer de veículos, faz parte da "estratégia que a Sixt tem delineada para 2011, que consiste na prestação de serviços e automóveis de qualidade superior não esquecendo a inovação".

Portugal foi o primeiro país europeu a receber o i-MiEV. Segundo a marca japonesa, Portugal «foi seleccionado como um dos mercados prioritários para o lançamento do i-MiEV, sendo o primeiro país na Europa a iniciar a sua comercialização, um ano depois de o veículo eléctrico da Mitsubishi ter sido lançado no Japão».

O veículo citadino de quatro lugares possui uma autonomia de 150 quilómetros, zero emissões de CO2 e baixo nível de ruído, e pode ser agora alugado num dos quatro stands da Sixt rent a car, nomeadamente nos aeroportos de Lisboa, Porto, Faro e Funchal.

Até Março, a Mitsubishi prevê produzir "11 mil unidades do i-MiEV e, a partir de 2012 a produção do i-MiEV será superior às 40 mil unidades por ano".

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VIDEO: Ford Focus Electric is unveiled in Las Vegas

From the Autoblog: The Focus Electric is powered by 100-kilowatt electric motor with a 23-kWh battery, capable of producing 123 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque at its peak.

Ford says its EV can reach a top speed of 84 miles per hour, and while the official range hasn't been disclosed just yet, we're told it should be able to travel up to 100 miles on a single charge (just like the Leaf).

Speaking of charging, Ford says the Focus Electric can be fully charged in just three hours from its 240-volt home-installed charging station, though the car will take up to 20 hours to charge via a standard 120-volt outlet.

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Chevrolet Volt named North American Car of the Year

From the Associated Press: The 2011 Chevrolet Volt got another marketing jolt Monday, when it received the North American Car of the Year.

The car that runs on electricity for 40 miles before a backup gas engine kicks in beat out the Nissan Leaf, another electric, and Hyundai Sonata in the annual ceremony on the first day of media previews for the Detroit auto show.

The Ford Explorer won the truck of the year, the third year in a row the Dearborn-based automaker nabbed the honor. Truck finalists were the Dodge Durango, the Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Forty-nine auto journalists from the U.S. and Canada made the picks. The vehicles are judged on innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value.

It's the latest in a string of accolades for the Volt, which went on sale in limited markets in December and costs $40,280. It was named the Green Car of the Year at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November and Motor Trend and Automobile Magazine named the Volt the 2011 car of the year the same month.

General Motors Co. Vice Chairman Tom Stephens said the Volt "represents the soul" of the new GM, on the rebound after enduring a government-led bankruptcy in 2009. GM sold between 250 and 350 Chevy Volts in December and Nissan's sales totaled less than 10 Leaf sedans in the past two weeks. Production for both is slowly ramping up.

It will be well into 2012 before both the Volt and Leaf, which costs $32,780, are available nationwide. Early demand is strong: About 50,000 people already are on waiting lists.

The Volts are being assembled in Detroit. GM predicts it will sell 10,000 of them in 2011 and between 35,000 and 45,000 in 2012. By way of comparison, Chevrolet sold 187,250 Malibu sedans in the first 11 months of 2010 with sticker prices that start at $21,975.

Stephens said the Volt is not a "science experiment" — but "meant to be a high-volume vehicle" as the industry makes early moves beyond petroleum as a primary fuel source.

Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said the company reinvented the SUV with the Explorer, basing it on car underpinnings and improving its fuel economy over the old model. Customers, he said, wanted a rugged vehicle that can also handle suburbia.

Awards are often used by automakers in advertising.

Last year's winners were both Ford vehicles: the Fusion Hybrid midsize sedan and Ford Transit Connect. This is the 18th year for the picks.

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UPDATE: Renault electric car espionage suspect was in 30-member panel headed by Carlos Ghosn

French carmaker Renault has said that suspected industrial espionage against its business poses a serious threat to its "strategic assets".

The statement comes a day after Renault suspended three senior managers after an investigation into the possible leaking of electric vehicle secrets.

Commenting on the matter, French Industry Minister Eric Besson warned the country was facing "economic war". Mr Besson said the situation at Renault "appears serious".

"The expression 'economic war', while sometimes outrageous, for once is appropriate," he told France's RTL radio station. "It appears to concern the electric car, but I do not want to go further."

Mr Besson said he was calling for French companies which received public funds to improve their security.

Sources said that those suspended had all headed electric vehicles projects and one was a member of the company's management committee, a 30-strong panel of top managers headed by chief executive Carlos Ghosn. The suspension without pay of the staff is a first step towards possible disciplinary action. The three were required to leave their offices on Monday, the sources said.

Renault plans to launch electric versions of its Fluence model priced at about 25,000 euros (34,000 dollars) and its Kangoo Express for about 20,000 euros in mid-2011, and its smaller Twizy and Zoe models in late 2011 and 2012. It forecasts that electric cars will make up 10 percent of the market by 2020. Along with its Japanese partner Nissan, it is investing 200 million euros a year in the programme.

Nissan has already launched an all-electric car for the mass market, the Leaf, in Japan and the United States, where it sold out on pre-orders. The Leaf is set to be launched in select European markets in early 2011.

Other major car makers are in on the act, preparing to launch electric cars. Among Renault's French competitors, Citroen is making the C-Zero and Peugeot the iON. Tata of India is preparing to launch the Vista EV. Mercedes-Benz of Germany has an electric smart car, the Fortwo ED, while in Japan Mitsubishi has the iMiEV and Toyota the Prius Plug-in.

This is in contrast to rivals such as General Motors and Toyota, the world's two largest carmakers, which are instead investing heavily in hybrid vehicles, which use both an electric and a petrol engine.

Sources: BBC and AFP

Related post: Renault's electric vehicle programme target of espionage

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Green Living: Nokia is the greenest electronics company, Nintendo still environmentally unfriendly

While we’re still waiting for Greenpeace’s latest edition of its guide to greener electronics, let’s recap October 2010 edition.

Nokia ranked first among 18 top manufacturers of personal computers, mobile phones, TVs and games consoles according to their policies on toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change. All its current mobile phone models are PVC free and Nokia’s scheduled releases are on track to be free of brominated compounds, chlorinated flame retardants and antimony trioxide.

Sony Ericsson, Philips, HP, Samsung, and Motorola are also praised by Greenpeace for their efforts against toxic chemicals.

Apple is ranked #9 because of its lack of information about its management of chemicals and its supply chain communications. Apple also continues to score poorly for the minimal information it provides about its future toxic chemical phase-out plans.

Toshiba, Microsoft and Nintendo get a red flag. Toshiba, on #16, backtracked on its commitment to bring to market new models of all its consumer electronics products free of PVC vinyl plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) by 1 April 2010, its own timeline for meeting this commitment. Greenpeace accuses the Japanese company of misleading its customers by not admitting that it would not meet its public commitment until the timeline for that commitment had passed. It has failed to provide a new timeline, which means there is no longer a commitment to eliminate these harmful substances, Greenpeace says.

Microsoft also backtracked on its commitment to phase out BFRs and PVC by the end of 2010, having no products that are completely free from these compounds.

Nintendo remains in last place with the same score of 1.8 out of 10 that it got in the previous edition of Greenpeace’s guide to greener electronics. It continues to score zero on all e-waste criteria and although it has improved its information to customers about access to its take-back programme in the US and Canada, this was not enough to score points.

Nintendo scores points on energy criteria, for the energy efficiency of its low power AC adaptor for the Nintendo DSi, which meets the requirements for external power supplies in the Energy Star programme. It also retains a point on energy for disclosing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from its own operations. However, it fails to score for its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, due to a second year of increases, despite a commitment to cut CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases by 2 percent over each previous year. Emissions in 2007 increased by 1.5 percent compared to 2006, following a rise of 6 percent in 2006, Greenpeace states.

The full ranking:
1 – Nokia
2 – Sony Ericsson
3 – Philips
4 – HP
5 – Samsung
6 – Motorola / Panasonic / Sony
9 – Apple
10 – Dell
11 – Sharp
12 – Acer
13 – Fujitsu
14 – LG / Lenovo
16 – Toshiba
17 – Microsoft
18 – Nintendo

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Renault's electric vehicle programme target of espionage

From Reuters: French carmaker Renault suspended three executives for suspected industrial espionage after an investigation lasting several months, a source close to the company told Reuters on Wednesday.

A Renault spokeswoman confirmed it suspended three executives on Monday after an "ethical alert" was transmitted to the group's compliance committee in August. But she declined to give further details about the suspensions.

The source close to the company said: "It involves people who were caught red-handed for industrial espionage. It's a matter that has lasted several months already."

The source said the three people involved were senior executives, one of whom was on the company's management committee.

"Renault is a victim in this story. The group is a bit worried about its electric vehicle (EV) programme -- it hopes that its leadership in this technology won't be threatened," the source said.

Renault, with its Japanese alliance partner Nissan Motor Co Ltd (7201.T), is a fierce proponent of EV technology, with the companies jointly investing 4 billion euros ($5.3 billion) in their flagship EV programmes.

A second source close to Renault said an "ethical alert" could mean a fellow employee warning the compliance committee that an individual's behaviour threatened the company.

"It means that at a given moment their personal behaviour, whether in their activity within Renault or in their external dealings, could threaten Renault's internal competencies or indeed its development of projects or products," the source said.

The behaviour in question could involve leaks of information "but not necessarily only that", the source said.

And in French, by France2: Trois hauts cadres du groupe Renault ont été mis à pied en raison de soupçons d'espionnage industriel

Selon des sources proches du dossier, un membre du comité de direction et un cadre travaillant sur le programme des voitures électriques figurent parmi les personnes concernées. Les informations diffusées à l'extérieur concerneraient ce secteur.

Renault a confirmé qu'une alerte éthique avait été transmise fin août au comité de déontologie.


"A la suite de cela, il y a eu une enquête et cette enquête a effectivement conduit à la mise à pied lundi de ces trois cadres", a déclaré une porte-parole de la firme au losange, sans se prononcer sur l'accusation d'espionnage industriel ou sur la présence d'un membre du comité de direction parmi les trois personnes concernées. En droit français, la mise à pied conservatoire, mesure provisoire à durée indéterminée, permet d'écarter le salarié de l'entreprise dans l'attente d'une éventuelle sanction. Le contrat de travail est suspendu et le salarié n'est pas rémunéré.

"C'est une affaire qui dure depuis quelques mois déjà", a commenté une source proche de Renault, sous couvert d'anonymat. "Il s'agit de personnes qui ont été prises la main dans le sac pour espionnage industriel", a-t-elle ajouté.

Une autre source proche du groupe a précisé que l'enquête interne se poursuivait. "Une alerte éthique, cela veut dire qu'à un moment donné, soit dans leur activité interne, soit dans leurs relations avec le monde extérieur à Renault, [les personnes concernées] ont eu un comportement qui peut porter atteinte aux compétences internes du groupe, voire au développement de projets ou de produits", a dit cette source.

Renault va commercialiser en milieu d'année deux modèles en version électrique, la berline familiale Fluence et l'utilitaire Kangoo Express. La gamme électrique du constructeur, partenaire du japonais Nissan, comptera également deux autres modèles: le petit véhicule Twizy et la petite berline Zoe, qui doivent être commercialisés au deuxième semestre de cette année et mi-2012.

"Le groupe s'inquiète un peu pour son programme électrique, il espère que son leadership sur cette technologie ne sera pas menacé", commente une des sources proches du constructeur.

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German electric airplane is ready to fly

From the Green Car Congress: PC-Aero, a German aircraft design, engineering and consulting company for general and business aviation, in December 2010 successfully performed the static tests on the 1-seat Elektra One prototype electric powered aircraft for German Ultralight Certification.

The structure of the aircraft (wing, fuselage and tails) was loaded up to limit load.

In November 2010, PC-Aero performed the rollout of the electric airplane with running engine. This event took place at the Rotortec company in Görisried/Germany, where the aircraft is being prepared for first flight, which is scheduled for this month.

Elektra One, intended to be the first member of an electric aircraft family, was presented for the first time at the AERO 2010, The Global Show for General Aviation, in Friedrichshafen/Germany.

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Gaia inaugura estação de abastecimento rápido de veículos eléctricos

De Mobi-e: A primeira bomba de abastecimento rápido para veículos eléctricos foi inaugurada no final de Dezembro de 2010 em Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, fruto de um protocolo celebrado entre a Câmara Municipal de Gaia e a empresa Prio Energy (participada do grupo Martifer). Integrado na rede MOBI.E, o centro auto-eléctrico de Vilar Andorinho, junto à EN 222, dispõe de um sistema Fast Charge Drive Through, que funciona como uma ilha de abastecimento para o carregamento rápido de veículos eléctricos.

«Já existem em muitas cidades pontos de carregamento, mas aquilo que vamos ter agora aqui é uma ilha de carregamento rápido (Fast Charge), com sistema de drive through, isto é de passagem», explicou Belmiro Torres Couto, gestor de projectos do veículo eléctrico na Prio e administrador da Park Charge.

Nos pontos de carregamento rápido (com energia verde e emissões zero) será possível em 10 minutos «carregar [um veículo eléctrico] com 10kw/hora o que permite andar, pelo menos, 60 quilómetros», destacou.

Segundo o portal IOL, Torres Couto referiu também que os carros eléctricos, além de garantirem um sistema de mobilidade ecológico e silencioso, são baratos: "Embora, no início, o carro possa apresentar um custo elevado, a longo prazo, será mais barato, já que o preço da energia ficará a 10% do preço dos combustíveis líquidos. Além disso, o carro eléctrico vai, muito brevemente, ser produzido em massa, o que terá como consequência a diminuição do seu preço".

Tal como refere o portal IOL, o gestor adiantou ainda que a «Prio Energy tem já um plano de expansão nacional através da sua empresa operadora Park Charge» que a nível nacional irá instalar cerca de«100 pontos de carregamento distribuídos por superfícies comerciais, áreas de serviço, edifícios de escritórios, condomínios e residenciais».

O plano de expansão, já em curso, irá resultar num investimento de «cerca de cinco milhões de euros na tecnologia de carregamentos» até ao final do ano.

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Driving in a convertible increases risk of hearing loss

From the New York Times: At speeds greater than 55 miles per hour, driving in a convertible with its top down produces sufficient noise to increase the risk of hearing loss, a study has found. Occupants are advised to raise the roof — however many style points that may cost them.

That is the conclusion of a joint study conducted by researchers from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine’s department of otolaryngology and the Ear Institute of Texas. The team’s findings were recently published in England’s Journal of Laryngology & Otology.

In one of the most self-sacrificing medical experiments in memory, the wind-blown researchers logged seat time in the following vehicles:

• 2009 Saturn Sky Red Line

• 2004 Nissan 350Z

• 2001 Porsche 911 C4

•2005 Saab Aero Convertible

• 2005 Ford Mustang GT

The tops were down and windows open while measurements were taken at 55, 65 and 75 m.p.h.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health defines 85 decibels as “excessive noise exposure,” so the researchers used that figure as a benchmark. The agency also defines “normal conversation” occurring at about 60 dB, a lawnmower at 90 dB and a chainsaw at 110 dB.

Researchers found it easy to hit 85 dB in a top-down convertible.

“When the convertible cars were driven with the top open, high levels of noise were consistently recorded,” the study said.

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Leaf can go 100 miles between charges, 95% of U.S. commuters drive less than that each day

From CNN / Fortune, the diary of an electric car commuter: When an argon-blue Nissan Leaf, the first production all-electric, zero-emission family car to hit the U.S., whispered into my garage last month, I knew instantaneously that it was a game changer. New relationships come with hopes, fears, and surprises, and ours -- the Leaf's and my union -- went quickly from blind date to a marriage of convenience.

The Leaf is nothing short of a bellwether of the automotive revolution that is headed to a driveway near you. Tighter fuel-efficiency standards, emerging markets' requirements, fluctuating gas prices, and a race in powertrain innovations are all in play. Audi, GM (GM), VW, and others are jockeying for dominance. Audi wants to rule the luxury electric-vehicle (EV) market; its first entrant, a plug-in hybrid, will come to market in 2014. GM's solution, the Volt, has just gone on sale and offers a small onboard gas-powered generator to feed the electric motor and extend its range. VW will roll out its EV in 2013.

So Nissan wins the prize for being first to market with a production pure electric. The company's visionary CEO, Carlos Ghosn, saw the opportunity to dominate the EV category and pushed hard to get the appealingly bug-eyed five-door hatchback built. "With the arrival of the Leaf, it is in our hands, and that of the public, to steer our industry toward its future of sustainable mobility," Ghosn blogged recently. "We believe this innovative car will silence the skeptics and bring a valuable solution to life."

Nissan granted Fortune the first "long term" (eight-day) loan of a Leaf. The Leaf can go about 100 miles between charges, and Nissan maintains that 95% of U.S. commuters drive less than that each day. It was my mission to determine whether that was sufficient to withstand my local reality, L.A.'s worst traffic-choked arteries.

First, a pleasant electrician named Marty arrived to install the Leaf's 240-volt charging dock in my garage. ("It's as simple as putting in power for a hot tub," he explained.) The moon-faced, wall-mounted unit can replenish the Leaf's lithium ion batteries in eight hours.

Then my Leaf arrived with a flourish -- bright, shiny, and eager to please, as were its two Nissan spokesmen. We conducted a detailed walk-around, which uncovered an important fact: There was nothing complicated, obtuse, or unfriendly about the car. The controls on the center console were intuitive. I found the range-map and power-usage screens easy to navigate. A button next to the hood release popped open the little door on the Leaf's nose, revealing the port where the charger's J-plug (shaped like a gas nozzle but smaller) clicks into place. The optional solar panel on the rear wing collects power only for a secondary electrical system that controls the power windows, door locks, and radio. A black sack in the rear hatch area contained the backup charging cord -- a simple three-prong affair with which you can top off the Leaf in a mere 20 hours or less.

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GM sold 250 to 350 Volts in December, Nissan still ramping up

From the The Californian / Associated Press: This was the year General Motors Co. and Nissan made good on their promise to bring mass-produced electric cars to the market. But don't count on seeing one in traffic soon. Sales so far have been microscopic and they're likely to stay that way for some time because of limited supplies.

GM sold between 250 and 350 Chevy Volts this month and Nissan's sales totaled less than 10 Leaf sedans in the past two weeks. Production for both is slowly ramping up.

It will be well into 2012 before both the Volt and Leaf are available nationwide. And if you're interested in buying one, you'll need to get behind the 50,000 people already on waiting lists.

It's still unclear just how large the market for electric cars will be once those early adopters are supplied. The base sticker price is $40,280 for the Volt and $32,780 for the Leaf, much higher than most similar-sized, gas-powered cars. If those prices rise, it could make them even more of a niche product than predicted. Buyers also are worried that advertised lease deals may not last, and a federal tax rebate of $7,500 could disappear if Congress decides battery-powered cars are no longer a priority.

The first electric car sales were marked with fanfare. The envy of green-car geeks across the country, new owners were treated like rock stars at dealerships. They were greeted by high-level GM and Nissan executives, followed by cameramen and interviewed by local reporters. When they got home, they blogged about their experiences, sent links of newspaper stories to their friends, and stopped to talk to anyone who expressed interest in their new wheels.

Jeff Heeren of Nashville, Tenn., became the sixth Nissan Leaf owner on Dec. 22. Nissan's advertising agency, Chiat Day, followed Heeren and his family around as they picked up their silver-colored Leaf, and have posted a video on the Leaf's Facebook page. Not surprisingly, Heeren is a fan. "What's amazed me the most in driving it is that it's just a car, like any other car," he said.

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Green Living: 5 natural hangover remedies

An useful piece of advice from Mother Nature Network. Happy New Year!

Bananas: When it comes to home hangover remedies, reaching for a humble banana or two is one of the most effective ways to combat a case of the post-Champagne nasties. Excessive alcohol intake can eliminate your body’s supply of potassium. Bananas fill you back up with this essential mineral quickly, safely and cheaply. If you anticipate that the morning after is going to be a rough one, place a couple of bananas on your bedside table.

Water: Even though you’re filling your body with liquids, boozin’ is a surefire way to become uncomfortably dehydrated. We recommend following the “two carafe rule": If you plan on imbibing, keep two carafes of tap water by your bed (alongside those bananas). Drink one before you go to sleep, and drink the other when you wake up the next morning. Many folks drink water only when taking aspirin, ibuprofen or other pain-relieving medicines. We say skip ‘em when treating a hangover, since they can only complicate things and make you feel worse if there’s still alcohol in your system. Opt to take B-vitamins instead.

Fruit juice: Guzzling fructose- and glucose-heavy fruit juices, particularly freshly squeezed varieties, raises blood-sugar levels and replenishes your body with the essential vitamins depleted during drinking. But if a sour stomach accompanies your raging hangover, it’s best to avoid O.J. due to its high acidity. Drink stomach-soothing ginger ale instead. Whatever you do, avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages. They may make you feel a bit less groggy, but they aren't helpful in conquering hangovers since they're diuretics, which will dehydrate you even more.

Honey: This potassium- and antioxidant-rich pantry staple boasts numerous hangover-helping qualities. Ingest it by itself or, better yet, spread it over a piece of dry toast or a cracker, since you do need to eat something during a hangover (even if your appetite tells you otherwise). In fact, the Royal Society of Chemistry believes eating a breakfast of honey-on-toast is one of the best ways to beat a New Year's Day hangover.

Soup: Does the sight of bacon and eggs — edibles that you’d normally scramble toward — make you feel even more nauseated while hungover? If honey-on-toast and bananas aren’t cutting it but you’d rather stay away from grease, opt for soup. Filled with vitamins and nutrients and that familiar “feel-good” taste that warms the senses, eating rehydrating soup is beneficial when battling hangovers. Something as basic as chicken soup can do the trick, but if you’re feeling ambitious, try experimenting with traditional “hangover soups” from around the globe, such as pho (Vietnam), haejangguk (Korea), pancita (Mexico) or borscht (Ukraine). It also helps to add a bit of spice to your hangover soup of choice, since sweating eliminate toxins from the body.

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