Company News

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Marc Cesare

Global Motor Services – This newcomer to the electric vehicle market is using former Bears coach Mike Ditka to promote their products. Their current line-up includes a converted Chevy Aveo and a three-wheeled scooter. They expect to add an LSV in the future and currently have dealers in San Diego, New Jersey, Las Vegas and Chicago. Learn more: Autobloggreen

Zap – Zap has shipped a Zaptruck XL equipped with a solar panel to a large government agency. The solar panel supplements normal charging and provides some extra range. Learn more: Zjucnc.org

Also the company has been awarded “…an engineering prototype contract for the design and development of an electric mail truck.” This project is for converting a US Postal Service gas vehicle to electric propulsion. Learn more: Autobloggreen

Cruise Car – Adam Sulimirski has been promoted to the position of General Manager from Global Sales Director. Learn more: Madduxpress.com

ZENN To Stop LSV Production; ZAP Phasing Out Xebra?

Posted on December 7, 2009 by Marc Cesare

ZENN announced that it will be stopping production of their LSV in April 2010. As had been reported earlier the company is shifting it’s focus to the development of electric drivetrains based on EEStor technology. The company reports selling about 500 of their LSVs in three years.

Learn more: Reuters.com

In another story about phasing out a vehicle, a careful examination of ZAP’s most recent quarterly findings, seem to indicate that they will be phasing out their three-wheeled Xebra model. From their 10-Q for the quarter ending September 30, 2009:

The decrease of $1.5 million (in revenue) is primarily due to the phase out of our three wheeled Xebra vehicle with reduced selling prices.

In addition the company appears to be putting less emphasis on development of the Alias model.

Research and development expenses decreased by $57,000 from $138,000 in 2008 to $81,000 for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009. The decrease was due to less work on the development of the Alias prototype vehicle

Learn more: thetruthaboutcars.com

Aptera Facing Difficulties

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Marc Cesare

Recent reports indicate that three-wheeled, electric vehicle maker Aptera is having development and financial difficulties. The founders have reportedly been pushed out and staff has been cut. Changes to the vehicle design to widen the vehicle’s appeal has delayed the launch date significantly and created more capital demands in the middle of a poor investment climate. Loans from the US government’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program is potentially a source for cash infusion. Learn more: Autogloggreen

Scooter Manufacturer Eyeing Texas

Posted on October 29, 2009 by Marc Cesare

National Scooter Company based in Nacogdoches, Texas is looking to break ground on a manufacturing plant for electric scooters next March. The CEO Greg James is trying to secure federal grant money and finalize negotiations to buy a portion of Twist N’ go Scooters of Seattle. Currently the vehicles are made in China. Plans call for the plant to be operational in March 2011. The company will also make gas powered scooters. The future could also include three-wheeled vehicles, collapsible vehicles, five-wheelers, off-road two-wheelers for hunters and street-legal neighborhood electric vehicles. Learn more: Dailysentinel.com

Lightning Motors Set To Enter Small Electric Vehicle Markets

Posted on October 24, 2009 by Marc Cesare

Lightning Motors founded by Richard Hatfield and a small group of associates from Silicon Valley announced their entry into the electric motorcycle market by producing the fastest production electric motorcycle in the world. The pre-production prototype achieved a top speed of 267.776 kph (166.388 mph) during the SCTA World Finals at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The company has prototypes for a less powerful motorcycle, a motor scooter, an ATV/UTV and other sport and utility vehicles in its pre production development program. Learn more: Passionperformance.ca

Three-wheeled Vehicles To Qualify For DOE Funding

Posted on October 19, 2009 by Marc Cesare

A recent bill passed by the US Congress will allow manufacturers of three-wheeled vehicles to qualify for US Department of Energy funding. Once the bill is signed by President Obama as expected, manufacturers will be eligible for funding, but approved on a case-by-case basis. The three wheel vehicles must be enclosed, carry two adults and get at least 75 miles per gallon. Learn more: Autobloggreen.com

Arcimoto Reveals Three-Wheeled Electric Pulse

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Marc Cesare

Electric Powered Arcimoto Pulse

Arcimoto of Eugene, OR recently revealed their three-wheeled electric vehicle, the Pulse. The vehicle seats two, has a top speed of 55 mph and a range of 50 miles that can be expanded to 100 with a larger battery pack. The vehicle is expected to be available in the fall and the company is currently taking $500 deposits to reserve a vehicle, of which $450 is refundable if you don’t like the vehicle when it becomes available. The Pulse is expected to retail for under $20,000 with the company reporting a target price of $16,000. Learn more: Goodgreencars.com

Oregon Governor Supports Electric Vehicle Manufacturers

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Marc Cesare

Oregon’s Governor Ted Kulongoski is using a $100,000 grant from his Strategic Reserve Fund to support Brammo, Inc., a manufacturer of electric motorcycles.

The company plans to invest $51 million over the next five years to produce its all-electric motorcycle called the Enertia. That includes an $18 million headquarters and production facility in Ashland.

The governor also paid a visit to Barefoot Motors a manufacturer of electric off-road utility vehicles. The company relocated from California last fall and started production in June at a rate of 10 vehicles per month. Learn more: Bizjournal.com

Will Best Buy Be The Best Place For e-Vehicles?

Posted on July 2, 2009 by Marc Cesare

Best Buy is exploring market opportunities as a distributor of e-vehicles. The computer and electronics retailer sees potential in these products along with others related to the concept of the “smart grid”. According Rick Rommel, Best Buy’s senior vice president for Emerging Business

When you turn to the smart grid, the ability to take complex technologies that are going to plug into the home, utilize home area networks, communicate back over broadband to utilities — it’s going to be a fairly complex system. We think that’s a place where Best Buy can take our experience in in-home systems sales, support and installation and apply it to the smart grid.

The company recently started selling electric bicycles in 20 stores around Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles and has plans to see the Enertia, an electric motorcycle as well. Depending on the success of these products, other e-vehicles such as NEVs may offered for sale or rental. Learn more: greenbiz.com

Comment: Distribution on this scale could really raise the awareness level of NEVs and a rental option could allow a large number of consumers to experience and essentially test drive these vehicles. – MC

ZAP Unveils Electric Wheel Motor Technology

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Marc Cesare

Zap has announced the development of an 8,000 watt wheel motor which could be incorporated into production vehicles next year if funding is available. The new motor is based on technology behind the electric motor used in their scooter, the Zapino. The Zapino motor is 3,000 watts and seven inches in diameter compared to 8,000 watts and ten inches for the new motor. If wheel motors are incorporated into four-wheel vehicles, the transmission and drive train can be eliminated and more space can be made available for additional batteries. Learn more marketwire.com

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