VIDEO: Rolls-Royce revela Phantom eléctrico

Da BBC Brasil: A fabricante britânica de carros de luxo Rolls-Royce apresentou esta semana no Salão do Automóvel de Genebra, na Suíça, uma versão eléctrica do modelo Phantom.

O veículo recebe o nome de Phantom Experimental Electric. Por enquanto, o veículo não será produzido em larga escala, já que a companhia quer avaliar antes a opinião dos seus clientes.

Em entrevista à BBC, o presidente-executivo da Rolls-Royce, Torsten Muller Otvos, disse que é bastante caro investir num modelo completamente novo e que nenhuma decisão será tomada até que a empresa não esteja segura sobre como o veículo será recebido no mercado.

Carros eléctricos estão a tornar-se cada vez mais populares. Mas, no caso de automóveis de grande porte, o mais comum tem sido o uso de uma tecnologia híbrida, que combina baterias elétricas com motores movidos a diesel ou a gasolina.



Caso não consiga visualizar o vídeo, clique para visitar o site da BBC Brasil

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A dozen EV models exhibited in Geneva

Electric cars (okay, and hybrids) are definitely the stars at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show in Switzerland. Here's a list of the models unveiled or exhibited this week:

Ford Focus electric
The 2012 Focus family comes with an electric version with the capability to fully charge in three to four hours total.

Chevrolet Volt
The American Car of the Year 2011, a hybrid already available for order in the US, is still one of the stars in Geneva. Its European cousin, the Opel Ampera, will soon roll out to the Old Continent's streets.

BMW Active E
This German sports car can accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 8.5 seconds and has a top speed of 90 mph.

Volvo V60
A highly efficient plug-in electric hybrid and the first station-wagon electric vehicle.

Toyota iQ EV
The electric version of the popular Japanese microcar.

Tesla Model S
The troubled's Californian start-up's super car.

Honda Fit EV
Honda's first all-electric vehicle.

Smart fortwo concept car
Modeled after the company's popular non-electric version.

Tata Pixel concept car
Tata claims that the Pixel will return more than 60 mpg and only releases 89 grams of C02 per kilometer. The efficiency comes by way of a 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbodiesel, which, though it isn't a full hybrid, employs stop-start technology and regenerative battery charging.

Nissan ES Flow concept car
Nissan's first sport's concept car can go from 0-62 miles per hour in 5 seconds.

Nissan Leaf
One of the first EVs on the market, the vehicle can go up to 90 miles per hour, can get 80% charge in a half an hour, and its batteries feature a 100,000 mile warrantee.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Experimental Car
Lotus and Rolls-Royce teamed up to produce this luxury EV, which possesses the largest battery ever used in an electric passenger car, for 'market study purposes'.

Source: Go Electric Drive
and Autoblog Green

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