Why plug-in vehicles with “small” battery packs should be subsidized in a big way

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, USA

Are plug-in vehicle incentives distributed correctly?
Apparently not. A study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University (PDF) suggests that by subsidizing vehicles with big battery packs (that is, bigger than 16 kWh), the return on investment (in terms of reducing gas/diesel consumption and lowering emissions) is less than if the $7,500 tax credit [...]

Pike Research says annual sales of plug-in vehicles in U.S. will hit 358,959 by 2017

Filed under: EV/Plug-in

Pike Research has put out an estimate saying that annual sales of plug-in vehicles in the United States will hit 358,959 by 2017. And they’re not all going to the usual suspects. Mostly, sure, but not all.
Since there is no national Level 2 (or faster) charging infrastructure the way there is a gasoline [...]

Could plug-in vehicles save the U.S. Postal Service?

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, MPG, USA

With the United States Postal Service facing financial woes, Infrastructurist claims to have found a plugged-in solution that will keep the centuries-old, Constitution-formed government agency alive and kicking: four tips that, if successful, would make Benjamin Franklin* proud. Here’s an abbreviated look at tip number one:

The USPS currently operates [...]

Need another reason to buy cleaner vehicles? How about a lower risk of heart attacks

Filed under: Diesel, Etc., MPG

Breathing in traffic fumes can trigger a heart attack up to six hours after exposure, according to research published by the British Medical Journal.
The Journal identified exposure to particulate matter (PM-10) and nitrogen dioxide – both found to be at elevated levels of concentration in urban centers – as possible triggers [...]

Elon Musk: “majority” of vehicles will be electric by 2030

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Solar, Tesla Motors

The oft-outspoken chief executive officer of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, is chomping at the electric bit again.
While speaking at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco recently, Musk, a 40-year-old billionaire recently profiled by Bloomberg Risk Takers, shared an enthusiastic vision of electric cars and solar energy with the room-filling [...]

Analyst says limits on batteries mean electric vehicles are doomed

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in
Here’s an unsurprising lede: A big part of the cost of electric vehicles lies in the batteries. The good news is that this may soon change. Expectations have been that those costs will fall with increased production, and there have even been predictions of battery oversupply in the near future. Combine that [...]

Utility CEO: 170,000 electric vehicles wouldn’t overload Portland’s grid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, USA

Portland, OR strives to be the U.S. hub for plug-in vehicles. What other city has dedicated an entire block to plug-in vehicle charging? During a ceremony on Tuesday, Portland mayor Sam Adams plugged in the first vehicle at “Electric Avenue” and dedicated the charger-lined street. On display for the ceremony were plug-in [...]

Honda recalling 2.26M vehicles in U.S., China over gearbox fears

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Honda

Honda has announced a voluntary recall on 2.26 million vehicles around the world, 1.5 million of which reside in the United States. This recall concerns the automatic transmission software of the 2005-2010 Accord (four-cylinder), 2007-2010 CR-V and 2005-2008 Element, where the transmission’s secondary shaft can be damaged if quick [...]

Report: Mitsubishi expects to profit on sales of plug-in vehicles in 2 years

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi, Japan, USA

How much money can you make selling a $20,000 electric car? Mitsubishi Motors thinks you can make plenty and, according to Japan’s Nikkei business daily, expects its plug-in vehicles to turn a profit in two years. In the U.S., the company’s i EV will cost $27,990 (or just $20,490 after [...]

Will higher-MPG vehicles starve highway funding?

Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy, USA

It happens every time there’s a proposal on the table for increased fuel efficiency. Someone runs the math, points out that high mileage vehicles use less gasoline, then warns that less gas means less gas taxes for maintaining roads. In this case, that someone is Ben Wear over at [...]

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