Victor Pixels asked:

In the recent years of vehicle trends, it seems like everyone is into eco-friendly vehicles such as hybrids and all electric cars. Americans cannot get enough of the mediocre looking Prius. They *** in their pants just thinking about the new all electric Nissan Leaf. But what about all the driving enthusiasts out there who wish they could drive a fun sports car that was both riveted by powerful performance and looked dead ****? Both Nissan and Toyota have put their thinking caps on and came up with a couple exciting new concept cars for the future. Prius haters rejoice! You can still look good and be eco-friendly at the same time when driving these vehicles:

1) Nissan ESFLOW Electric Sports Car-it looks like a sports car and drives like a sports car, but it has one key difference-it’s all electric. The ESFLOW is powered by the same technology used in the Nissan Leaf. The ESFLOW is a pure electric vehicle with zero emissions, has two electric motors and lithium ion batteries. With the new ESFLOW, no sacrifices need to be made to drive an ecological car. You get everything you want out of this eco-friendly sports car-an attractive sleek look, sporty performance and friendly to the environment.

2) Nissan Townpod Concept. After seeing the new 2011 Juke, it isn’t shocking to see Nissan developing the most unique looking concept vehicles in the market today. Take a look at the Nissan Townpod Concept, a car that looks more like a toy than an actual vehicle. Nissan notices that there are more people today who work from home and do not have fixed hours or regimented schedules. Their business life and social life tend to blend together. As such, Nissan believes “their personal transportation must be equally multifaceted.” The Townpod will combine the “comfort and style of a passenger car with the businesslike utility of a commercial vehicle.” This will also be a zero emission vehicle.

3) Toyota FT-HS. Toyota’s concept FT-HS combines hybrid powertrain with sports car fundamentals. In order to come up with a “suitable sports car for the 21st century” Toyota developed the FT-HS concept, a hybrid sports car that is powered by a V6 3.5L engine and coupled with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive that produces 400 horsepower and a projected zero-to-60 acceleration in the four-second range.

Daniel Collins asked:

The increasing concern about the state of the environment has seen gas-guzzling automobiles become a target of much dispute. It’s no secret that the carbon-emissions being pumped into the environment every second by diesel-driven cars is having a major detrimental effect, which is why solutions like electric cars are becoming more popular.

Electric cars offer transport driven by an alternative fuel source – electricity. Carrying an on board battery pack which can be recharged as needed, electric cars make way for convenient ‘re-fueling’. You can charge up the batteries of an electric car both at service stations or at home, meaning preparing for long journeys doesn’t need to factor in a visit to the petrol station since you can charge up before leaving.

They compare admirably with petrol vehicles, with several aspects of electric cars being far cheaper than their less efficient counterparts. Since you can charge your electric car at home, the benefits from not having to pay for fuel are instantaneous. Over time, this can offset what you have to pay for the car itself as, frequently, electric cars are a little more expensive than petrol ones.

However, the current main reason for the electric car’s popularity is its eco-friendliness. The energy efficiency of the electric car excels above gasoline vehicles, which are well known to pump carbon emissions into the environment from their tail pipes. To begin with, electric cars do not even have a tail pipe. Although they still create some emissions that are bad for the environment, as well as increase the need for electricity generation, the comparison between the two types of car is very significantly in the electric car’s favour.

We all try to do our bit for the environment these days and, if you’re thinking it’s time to get a new car, an electric car could be a very worthy investment, both economically and ecologically. What’s more, if you’re unsure about taking the plunge, there are plenty of hybrid car insurance available that combine the efficiency of electricity with gasoline driving in a way that allows the two to complement one another with ease. The gasoline is used when cars are driving at certain speeds and electricity when idle or moving slowly.

Electric cars are a fantastic way to help reduce carbon emissions and there are many well-designed models too, so if you’re searching for a new car, consider an electric one for excellent environmental efficiency.

Christy M asked:

Electric cars are currently touted to save the mother Earth from the issue of global warming but are they really capable of doing that? After all, electricity is generated from coal and coal, just like petrol, is a non-renewable source of energy. Are we better off with the electric cars or do we just need to make the fuel based cars more energy efficient? Electric car certainly save on energy, no doubt about that but they are not zero emission automobiles. Driving it still involves a lot of money and you’d be surprised to know that 49.7 percent of US electricity is generated from coal. However, these cars are certainly much lower in carbon dioxide emissions as compared to the fuel based ones. Toyota recently came out with the Tesla Roadster which gives you 245 milers of travel on a single charge. There is also the 2006 Corolla which is excellent in fuel efficiency give an average of 31 miles on a single gas galleon provided it has manual transmission. After a hundred miles, the Corolla will produce 63.11 pounds of carbon dioxide through 3.23 gallons of gas. Energy Information Administration says that one gallon of gas emits 19.564 pounds of carbon dioxide. This figure again doesn’t include the energy which is spent on taking the oil out of the ground.

Looking at the Roadster, you will find that this electric car give you 100 miles of travel on a single charge. Out of this, only 70 percent is used in the vehicle movement and the rest is lost due to the inefficiency in charging processor. One kilowatt of electricity generation produces about 1.55 pounds of carbon dioxide and this means the Tesla, in 100 miles, produces 48.05 pounds of carbon dioxide. You can check for yourself and the results will wary a bit, depending upon your state. States like West Virginia, North Dakota and Wyoming use a lot of coal and hence the CO2 production is higher. Roadster will end up with a lower carbon dioxide production at the end of the day. On the flip side, if you are a motorist from the Pacific Northwest, I would recommend an EV since this region uses hydroelectric pumps. You can check on the Internet regarding how much electricity does your state make from coal.

Lower emission of carbon dioxide is not the only reason to purchase electric cars. You won’t see a single electric car having a tail pipe on the back which means these automobiles will not put a thick pile of smoke when they are running. The electric cars produce less nitrous oxide, methane and other green house gases as compared to the gas counterparts. The only exception to this is sulfur dioxide which is produced a lot by coal combustion and can result in acid rain.

The biggest drawback with the electric cars is that they need huge batteries and they are a bit difficult to manufacture. Some people say that if you take in to account the process that is needed for making these batteries, it makes the electric cars less greener.

George Halt asked:

What are the differences between Electric Cars and Hybrids? Is either one practical for me?

Here’s a quick run-down on the different types of vehicles:

Gas-powered – This is your standard car today. An internal combustion engine uses gasoline to provide the power to drive the transmission and turn the wheels. Generally, gasoline engines are inefficient, but are powerful, and relatively inexpensive to run. With the rise in fossil fuel prices (diesel, gasoline, oil), these engines are slightly increasing in cost, but are still at the low-end of the price spectrum compared to electric cars. The downside to gas-powered engines is the inefficiency and the pollution generated by the combustion, as well as the noise. The advantages include low-cost, availability of fuel, large range, high top speed and good acceleration rate.

Electric Cars – Sometimes called Electric Vehicles, or EVs, use large batteries to store electricity which is then used to drive the wheels. It is as simple as that. The advantages are that electric cars are much quieter than internal combustion engines, and generate zero direct pollution. The disadvantages are the time needed to charge the batteries, the availability of charging stations, lack of range, low top speed, and lack of acceleration. One of the biggest advantages is the low-cost of running an electric car…literally a few cents per mile.

Hybrids – Hybrids are a combination of an internal combustion engine and a battery-powered electric car. They have a fuel tank for gasoline and the engine burns gasoline just like a normal car. But they also have a large battery which can either be charged by plugging in, but also uses the friction created by braking to recharge itself. The battery provides a ‘boost’ to the engine, providing power which allows the engine to run much, much more efficiently. The byproduct is higher miles per gallon of fuel, and lower pollution.

Size of the vehicle is another factor to consider. A combustion engine requires a larger frame to support its weight . However the engine is powerful enough to move a large vehicle. Electric cars are designed to be power-efficient, so they shed weight everywhere they can. This includes the safety features. Electric cars do not have the heavy metal cages built around the passengers the way gas-powered cars do. Nor do they have the space. The internal room, cargo areas, and number of passengers are generally smaller on electric cars.

Having said that, Electric Cars are gaining in both popularity and in practicality. New developments in energy or power cell technologies are making Electric Cars more feasible. With every passing year, the batteries are lasting longer, becoming smaller, and more powerful, all at the same time. Add to that the increasing cost of fossil fuels, and the increasing social awareness of pollution-production, and the demand for electric cars or even hybrids is on the rise. California, for example, has created the infrastructure for electric cars by providing numerous recharging stations. Other states are following suit.

Gas-powered cars have been around for a long time, and won’t disappear soon. However, as major manufacturers notice the clamor for their hybrid models, they are working feverishly on developing models that don’t rely on gasoline at all. It is certain that we will move more and more toward electric cars due to market demands; demand from the populous, lower supply of oil, and pressure from the government are three factors that guarantee the future production of viable electric cars.

Richard G Watson asked:

Range: how far can I drive and where can I recharge?

This is probably the biggest current drawback of electric vehicle technology. Not only are current electric vehicles limited by range, there is minimal current recharging infrastructure in place for high speed recharging of EV’s and batteries become prohibitively expensive when trying to increase the range of your vehicle. If you typically do a lot of long distance commuting, then an electric vehicle is perhaps not the best choice. EV’s are suited presently to the city as commuting distances are small and recharge points are more available.

The Tesla has a range of around 240 miles which is a significant distance, however comes at a fairly high price point around the $100,000 mark. Less expensive electric cars have a smaller range and top speed and are suited more to city driving. These are also more affordable and are much lighter vehicles. Many potential electric vehicle owners define this as their number one disadvantage of current electric car technology.

It should be noted however that large recharging infrastructure networks are being installed around countries to offer high current low time charging solutions. Some of the faster charging options allow 20-30minute recharge times which is perfect for that coffee and a burger stop. Recharging through a standard household socket however will take many hours due to the single phase 10amp limitation of many power points.

Furthermore, lithium nickel and lithium air batteries are currently being developed in the Japan and the US respectively identifying potentially 3 – 6 times the energy density of current lithium ion batteries. Lithium polymer batteries are another good example which show that future battery technology will be far superior to that of current electric vehicle battery technology and range will become less of an issue as these technologies enter wide spread distribution at lower cost points.

How fast will it go?

This one really depends on how many batteries, what type of batteries (and really how much you want to spend on the electric car or EV conversion). You will also need a motor which matches the battery and controller combination. Many still think of an electric car as sluggish, however cars like the Tesla have proven that to be quite the opposite in some cases. The fast accelerating cars will be expensive as they require high discharge batteries, high current controllers and powerful motors. There is also a pay off with top speed. If you want a fast accelerating vehicle, it may have to be geared lower which will in turn reduce the top speed of the vehicle. Generally gear boxes are not required in an electric vehicle however as an electric motor can rev very high.

Can I get that classic V8 hum?

Sorry buddy – electric cars are very quiet. You will hear a bit of an electric motor sound which is kind of cool (sort of mimics the sound of a jet engine), but gone will be the days of the rumbling roar of a V8 if you buy an electric vehicle.

Are electric cars safe?

There have been concerns from past lithium ion battery packs exploding or over heating however with a battery management system, these issues are gradually being resolved. The biggest risk is the high voltage wiring inside your electric car which traditional petrol powered vehicles don’t have. The key is to have accelerometer kill switches and automatic disconnectors which isolate the batteries the moment the vehicle is in an accident. Generally electric vehicles offer better safety if well designed and road worthy since mass is distributed lower and towards the perimeter of the vehicle, and there is no flammable petrol or gas on board.

When charging the vehicle special attention must be given to methods of recharging to avoid electric shock. Done properly through a well designed recharge point is the key to success here.

Finally the need for a gear box is removed, and this allows the driver to concentrate on the road and other distractions rather than changing gears.

Where can I service it?

Although service stations which specialize in electric vehicle servicing are minimal presently, there will certainly be many popping up as more electric vehicles enter the market. Luckily electric vehicles need minimal servicing with only one moving part on the drive side and no gear box, clutch, oil change etc. There should be one service point in your city at least and most mechanics will be able to diagnose simple problems or refer you to an electrician to fix the wiring.

In summary are EV’s good or bad?

As we have seen there are a lot of downsides to electric cars, the most significant of these being the car’s range. If people can’t drive to their favourite holiday location 400km’s away for their long weekend break then it will reduce the number of potential buyers straight away. The price and vehicle acceleration are also major issues which need looking at. Lastly things like the sound it makes, how it looks, the ergonomics of driving and servicing issues can all contribute to the decision to go with a standard off the shelf gas guzzler. As we see electric vehicle technology increase however, we will no doubt see many changed which make the electric vehicle a clear winner as it overcomes some of these drawbacks.

Lavanya Gupta asked:

Popularity of the state-of-the-art electric cars is on the rise. According to an industry source, by 2020, electric cars will be in vogue worldwide, and their global sales will rise up to $635 billion.

With this rise in demand for electric cars, the need for appropriate universal charging systems will be felt more vividly; And this can be made possible only through the dialogs and concerted efforts of the policy makers, car manufacturers, researchers working in the field of automobile science, and consumers all across the world.

Now, coming to the reason behind the increased popularity of electric cars, the mechanism that drives these car engines requires an optimal economic structure. The vehicles also require lesser automotive parts, and most of them are cheaper than those required for other available diesel or petrol cars in the market. But the most significant advantage of electric cars is that they cut down to emission level to the lowest, and in today’s time this is very vital, as ensuring sustainable development through the use of renewable energy sources is the need of the hour.

However, there is a challenge in the way of developing these alternative energy driven cars. The cost of a high-capacity rechargeable battery amounts to almost two-third of the cost of the electric cars, and this makes them quite an expensive buy for the consumers. Additionally, the issue of the recharging standard is also there.

Nevertheless, all the leading nations, pioneering the cause of sustainable development, are working towards this critical issue. Cutting-edge technologies are being discovered every alternate day. It is expected that a solution will be worked out soon, and alternative mobility solutions like electric cars will be able put up a grand show in the years to come.

Hannah Valez asked:

What’s not to like about electric cars? Skip the gas station altogether and just recharge your car in the garage every night for a fraction of the cost. There are three drawbacks of electric cars that have gotten a lot of attention as electric cars have hit the American market. Problem 1 is the high cost of batteries, which makes electric cars pricier than their traditional counterparts. Federal and state governments have stepped in with subsidies intended to offset the price difference, at least for a while. Problem 2 is limited range.

Range is still a major sticking point. When you drive away from your garage and its charging station, you can drive about 100 miles before recharging. That’s fine for the way most people use their cars on most days. You’re going to have a problem, though, if you ever need to go further than 100 miles at a stretch. Electric charging stations are not as plentiful as gas stations, and even if they were, you can’t recharge your battery in just a few minutes.

Now let’s add another wrinkle. Problem 3 is that electric car batteries don’t fare so well in extreme temperatures. The batteries can lose up to half of their effectiveness in very cold or very hot weather. If temperatures are freezing, you may only have a range of 40 or 50 miles.

So are electric cars worthless if you live someplace where it snows all winter or experiences blistering heat for five months out of the year? What are the possible workarounds?

Make sure you have enough power to get where you’re going. Short and even medium daily commute distances are suitable for electric cars. If you’re lucky enough to have a charging station at your place of employment, your range is effectively doubled.

Move to a sunny locale. Drive your Chevrolet Volt in San Antonio or your Nissan Leaf in LA. Some places are just more suited to electric cars than others. There are other benefits of living in the sun belt, such as beach days instead of snow days.

Have a backup means of transportation for cold days. Can you carpool on snowy days, or take public transportation? Is telecommuting an option? If you don’t absolutely need your car every day, your flexibility could pay off in terms of fuel savings.

Go part electric with a hybrid instead. A hybrid vehicle has a gasoline tank and can use gas, but it uses electricity whenever possible. Hybrids are able to monitor conditions a select the appropriate power source at any given time. It switches automatically so that you are using the best option whether you are driving at high sustained speeds or tootling around town with lots of stops. The other benefit of having both is that there is a backup if the battery should run out of power.

The bottom line is that electric cars aren’t yet at a point where they’re as practical as traditional gas powered vehicles. Technological advances in battery design may help. An increase in the storage capacity could increase the range of electric vehicles. Protection from the elements – temperature especially – could make them more reliable. Unfortunately technological advances will require research and development, which means money. And since engineers have been stuck at this particular roadblock for a while, I suspect that it will take a lot of money to clear it. That, of course, translates into higher car prices. This brings us right back to problem 1.

George Christodoulou asked:

With all the current emphasis on going “green” and protecting the environment, it is no wonder that the electric car has come center focus. Especially now with soaring gas prices, consumers want to know their options. Traditional gas powered vehicles have long been the focus of those concerned with environmental issues, and so invariably inventors and car manufacturers look to improve the technologies available on the electric car.

If you are considering the purchase of an electric car, you need to be realistic about their benefits. They’ve come a long way recently but they still have some significant disadvantages, and there are still limitations to their use and wide spread availability. Here are some disadvantages you may want to consider when evaluating if an electric car is feasible for your transportation needs:

1. Electric cars are expensive to own. If you’ve checked into the price of an electric car, you know they are not “low end”. It’s not so much the price of the car as it is the price of the batteries which they run on. If you’ve purchased batteries you know how the costs can add up quickly, and the batteries used in electric cars are lithium-ion, which are expensive. Also keep in mind that eventually the battery packs will need to be replaced, as they have a life of approximately 3 to 4 years.

2. The batteries will need to be recharged. A second disadvantage to an electric car is that the batteries will need to be recharged. This will require advanced planning because you’ll have to allow adequate time for the batteries to be fully charged. Now this might not sound like that big of a problem but if you are thinking of purchasing an electric car then you will need to make an honest assessment of how much you will use your vehicle. An extended or unplanned trip could be problematic if you haven’t had time to fully recharge the batteries.

3. Limits on driving distance. If you drive long distances, an electric car might not suit your needs, so you will need to consider how far you plan on driving your car. Most of the electric cars have limits on how many miles they can go before needing a recharge. Electric car maker ZAP recently announced that their electric car could travel up to 100 miles per single charge, but many people drive more miles than that round trip on a daily commute to work. This is definitely a limitation for those who intend to use the vehicle for getting to and from their place of employment. You certainly would not want to run out of batteries if you got stuck in a rush hour traffic jam.

4. Lack of power. Another disadvantage to the electric car is the lack of power, specifically quick pickup. If you do a lot of interstate driving there are going to be times when you will need to accelerate quickly to merge into traffic.

Electric cars have come a long way in recent years but still have to overcome a few more obstacles before becoming widely embraced as a solution for many consumers.

Kerry Ng asked:

With rising fuel costs, more and more people and are looking for alternatives. One such alternative that is gaining popularity, especially with the do-it yourself types, are the electric vehicle kits. Anyone familiar with automobiles can now use these kits to convert traditional gas powered vehicles to one powered by electric current.

However, converting a traditional Gas powered vehicle into an electric vehicle can be a very daunting task. Only those who are the very mechanically minded should try this. To convert the vehicle will require extensive modifications to nearly all-mechanical parts of the car. Everything from the engine to the radiator, heater and air-conditioning, to the gauges on the panel. On top of that, the electric cars have to be recharged on a regular basis, which means having to purchase or use the services of recharging station. Solar power could be another potential source of power for the electric vehicle.

Can any car be converted into an electric vehicle?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Not all cars can be converted into an electric vehicle. However, and the most common electric vehicle kit seems to be the Chevy S-10 pick up kit. For examples to follow just do a search online for Chevy S-10 pickup Electric conversions. Other cars that are good candidates for conversion are the Chevy Geo, especially from 1989 to 1999. These cars are good potential candidates for an electric vehicle kit conversion. Cars similar to the Chevy Geo Metro, such as the Chevy Sprint, Pontiac Firefly and the Suzuki Swift are also ideal for conversions too.

More on Electric Vehicle Kits: Build Your Own Electric Car

Hilal Abdelwali asked:


A hybrid-electric vehicle, or HEV, combines an electrical energy storage system with an occupied means of generating electrical energy, usually through the consumption of some type of fuel. Each type of HEV has its own operating quality and chosen design practices, as well as advantages and disadvantages.

The development of interior ignition engine vehicles, especially in automobiles, is one of the supreme achievements of modern technology as a new rising energy saving and environment -friendly vehicle, that is why the hybrid-electric vehicles were created to give convenience to every human.

In the process of creating the hybrid electric car, the most important is the energy saving and the environmental protection. Wherein nowadays this are the common problems faced by the society.

Having the hybrid-electric car evolved from the electric car. However, the main disadvantage of the electric car is that it is mainly dependent on the batteries. Therefore, has limited range.

First of all, the hybrid electric car was supposed to be an electric vehicle with batteries for power storage and is also equipped with an on-board heat engine-powered generator. This means that this type of hybrid has an extended range.

The heat engine power and the battery power are specifically intended as an important scheme that constantly modulates the excess between the heat engine and the battery power systems. This will also depend on the driving schedule.

Since the beginning of the use of automobiles, electric cars have been already recognized and conceptualized. Even though the electric power train is better in various aspects, as an energy source, the battery was unequal to the superior-energy content, easiness in terms of the handling, and inexpensive and profuse supplies of motor fuel.

Now, it has almost been a century since the electric car has been popularly discussed, but recent developments in the HEV technology and the growing concerns for the environment has revived the drive for an HEV and this has become a realization today.

We can consider the personal means of transportation as a very important bond in the economic chain of current modern societies and that a private vehicle appears to be the popular choice.

Electric vehicles are more energy efficient than the contemporary vehicles wherein the electric vehicles operates at approximately 46 percent of effectiveness, while a contemporary vehicle operates at about 18 percent only.

There are studies that generally concludes that electric cars with batteries are approximately 10 to 30 percent more efficient with energy than the usual gasoline cars, depending on the exact assumptions of the vehicles energy usage and energy chain efficiency.

Certainly, the comparisons of the electric vehicles and the conventional vehicles are comparisons between an extremely developed power system that is nearly in the end of its research and development, and the innovative power system in the beginning stages of the development wherein important development can be expected as the new technology evolves.

Furthermore, the advantages of electric powered modes of transportation extends beyond the true outlook of economizing energy. Electric generation plants can use substitute fuels that are not adaptable to portable power systems.

Electric vehicles are the definitive alternative fuel vehicles because their power is taken from the source fuels utilized to produce electricity. Aside from that, the flexibility of the fuel alone can offer important useful and economic advantages especially in relation to a variety of energy resources.

The electric car is truly a promising technology that could transform one’s means of transportation into a far more environmentally type of commodity. Through this innovation emission controls become more important, effective and economically beneficial.

Electric Cars Video Channel

Gregg Hall asked:

Have you ever used a battery? Of course you have. It is highly unlikely that there is anyone alive today that has not used a battery. Many times you do not realize how much you depend on batteries until they die and you do not have any spares around.

When you think about batteries you may not think about the batteries that power your vehicle, but these too are batteries. They can be recharged and last much longer than the double A or nine volt batteries that charge the cd players or flashlights that you were probably thinking of but they are batteries nonetheless. They also require different care than the batteries that you may have had in mind originally.

More on Why The Size And Strength Of Batteries Is Holding Back The Electric Car Market

Joe Thompson asked:



The fate of electric cars seems to be sparking still and not completely gone. This is primarily because soon enough, electric cars would again be on the streets and roads. Well, not exactly for every day use and for ownership, but at least, they would be used by world leaders of leading industrialized countries and democracies. Maybe there is hope, after all.

These leaders would include those who lead countries like the United States, Russia, Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Canada, as well as Italy. They would be using the electric cars during the G8 Summit. This summit would be held this summer, July 15th to the 17th in St. Petersburg, Russia. GEM electric vehicles would be the ones to be used by these country leaders. And in part of such a big event, the government of Russia under the supervision of their president, Vladimir Putin, took part of the budget to purchase thirty GEM electric vehicles which could take in four passengers inside its cabin – these vehicles are also called as e4. They also made sure that each of the vehicles is personalized. They would be putting the participating country’s official logo as well as flag on the GEM electric vehicle.

GEM and e4 vehicles are created Global Electric Motors, LLC. Rick Kasper is its president and chief operating officer. He states, “GEM electric vehicles will offer the participating leaders with an environmentally-friendly transportation option while attending the G8 summit. It is an honor for GEM to be participating in this important international event for the second time.” Indeed, the first time GEM took part in such a grand event was back in 2004 during that year’s G8 Summit which was held in Sea Island, Georgia.

What is good about GEM electric vehicles is that it has zero emissions. It also is clean and provides a ride that is quiet and very efficient. It also is affordable compared to using the usual kinds of vehicles.

These vehicles could certainly preserve the environment. On the other hand, regular vehicles could also help clean up the air as long as all the parts are in good condition. Auto Parts Discount offers quality and affordable Mercedes Benz parts such as Mercedes Benz wheels and lights for all owners.


Hybrid Cars Video Channel

Jenny Mclane asked:

The quest to develop an automobile which will reduce and possibly eliminate the dependence of the entire human race on petroleum fuel for automotive fuel has led to a partnership between companies. These working partnerships allow companies to have bigger funding and share expertise.

One such partnership is that between ZAP and Lotus Engineering. The partnership is aiming to develop the most advanced electric car in history. Currently, ZAP is already offering electric cars for American car buyers. These vehicles run on electricity and needs only to be plugged into a common household socket to be recharged and store up some juice.

While these electric vehicles are of great advantage to the environment and fuel cost, their range is not enough to make extended trips. This is one issue that the partnership will be looking into in their quest to produce the most advanced electric car in the entire history of the automotive industry.

Recently, both parties have been having talks at the headquarters of ZAP located in Santa Rosa, California. Lotus Engineering personalities who attended these talks includes the company’s chief executive officer Albert Lam. Project Manager Steven Woolley and West Coast Operations Manager Rexford Park are also part of the dialogues between ZAP and Lotus. The talks between ZAP and Lotus is expected to bring to light more developments in the development and production of electric cars. These developments are expected to be announced by ZAP Chief Executive Officer Steve Schneider.

For the present, Schneider has this to say: “This was an important meeting because ZAP and Lotus Engineering are working to bring new technologies to bear that could change the auto industry forever. With Lotus Engineering’s capabilities, and ZAP’s vision and entrepreneurship, we are building a world-class team to tackle this important endeavor.”

Currently, ZAP’s offering includes the electric vehicle Xebra. It was first introduced to the market in May of 2006. The three-wheeled vehicle is classified as a motorcycle but it has both a sedan and a pickup configuration. While it uses a battery pack and an electric motor, it does not use the regenerative braking system used commonly by hybrid electric cars. The said feature captures the energy produced during braking.

While the Xebra does not posses the said feature, its battery pack can power the vehicle for approximately forty miles on low speed driving. The same battery pack can also give the Xebra a top speed of 40 miles per hour. While these attributes already standout, the partnership between Lotus and ZAP aims to develop an electric car that is far more advanced than the Xebra.
On the other hand, Lotus has been known for designing and developing some of the most notable cars in history. This collaboration with ZAP is seen by Lotus as a step for them to become one of the frontrunners in the development of green cars. Chief Executive Officer Albert Lam has this to say: “The venture with ZAP is a dream come true because we are creating the most advanced electric vehicles in history. Lotus Engineering is very happy to be associated with ZAP in bringing this vehicle to market. The technology is ready for electric vehicles so they don’t have to be slow, they can have a long range, and they can be exciting to look at.”

Aside from developing high performance vehicles, Lotus is also known for creating aesthetically pleasing cars. With the company’s expertise, one can expect an environment friendly and good-looking car to come out of this partnership. If the partnership comes up with the most advanced electric car in history it is, of course, safe to say that it will be far more environment friendly than vehicles equipped with flowmaster exhaust components.

Electric Cars Video Channel