And we're not talking about some lame-o golf cart or even a Tesla- this is a highway-legal, 3.5 horsepower Citicar, one of the lone bright spots of the Malaise Era. Most of the time, I can't find the owner when I'm shooting a cool street-parked Alameda car, but I spotted this car just as its owner, Tom, was getting ready to run some errands around town. He was happy to show off his commuter's features, and even took me for a little drive around Alameda's downtown. Alameda High was just getting out for the day, and this Citicar got more attention from teenage girls than all the Lamborghinis in the world put together- take note, high school dudes looking for a project car that will help you score with the ladeeze! You can learn more about this car here.

The car has pretty decent acceleration and is surprisingly comfortable (at least, when the weather is nice). While the top speed is only about 36 MPH, that's just about perfect for getting around Alameda; most of the island has a 25 MPH speed limit, and parking is often tough for big cars.

The NXG was designed by Dilip Chabria of DC Design, who also worked on the Aston Martin Vanquish, the Rolls-Royce Coupe concept and even a two-door Porsche Cayenne.

The NXG will also preview a mysterious new feature known as "REVive," which enables owners to call or text for an emergency "recharge" should they run out of juice. Since the last time we checked, electricity couldn't be transmitted wirelessly over cell phone signals, so we're guessing control centers can remotely enable vehicles to access a reserve charge level that shouldn't be used too often for fear of shortening the battery's service life.

No word on what sort of batteries the NXG will employ, but Reva do hint at dual charge ports, designed to accept standard charging or a one hour "fast charge." [via Reva Global]

You know you're not like The Others, yes? Do your relatives discuss you using sentences beginning with "Let's face it…" and stop talking when you enter the room? Of course they do, and you don't want to disappoint in your selection of project car! That's why an easy project- say, a rusted-out Studebaker Commander- isn't for you; skip on past the boring stuff, because you've got to go French or go electric!

Citroën didn't sell many CXs in North America, so the successor to the DS is quite a rare sight on these shores. When you go with a CX, you get many of the nerve-shatteringly complex technologically advanced features of the mighty SM, including the speed-variable power steering and- this should go without saying- the super-smooth suspension hydropneumatique. You also got build quality backed by those masters of administration and harmonious labor negotiations, the French and Italian governments; what more could a car owner ask for? Well, a potential CX owner knows all that stuff, but he or she also knows that these cars don't come cheap… but Bearddevil has found us a deal for the ages: this "77-78" Citroën CX Pallas 2400, priced at- holy shit!- just 500 bucks! Normally, we'd suggest making a 24 Hours Of LeMons car here, but that would be too easy. No, you need to restore this beauty, and you'll need to start by heading over to France to pick up some glass (three windows missing) and all some of the interior components (seller describes the once-luxurious interior as "way crispy"). Does it run? It should run, since it has only been sitting for centuries "years and years." People win the lottery, right? It will never oughta fire right up!

That dinosaur juice is running out, folks! If you go with a fossil-fuel-burner for your Hell Project, you're liable to find that internal-combustion vehicles cost about $900/mile to operate by the time you get it running (of course, at that point you'll be 94 years old and getting around in a jetpack walker, so it won't really matter). Best to be on the safe side and go electric! You'll want to use Plasma Boy's White Zombie Datsun as your role model here, so what you need is a small, light, rear-drive machine with room for plenty of batteries… such as this electric 1971 Dodge Colt (thanks to Belvedere Adrian for the tip). This little Mitsubishi was converted to electric drive by "the old man that built it," no doubt during the Arab oil embargo, or maybe the Iranian Revolution. Yes, it has been sitting for a while, but that's what gives it that super-cheap $500 price tag. Well, that plus the fact that it's a total basket case held together with crumbling Bondo little bit rough… but don't focus on that when you should be imagining those super-rad electric burnouts you'll be doing once it's running. It "ran at one time," according to the seller, who believes that a simple transistor swap might make everything hunky-dory, and that 86-volt motor should have no problem withstanding the 880 volts you'll be juicing it with!

The Leko? Yeah, it's just a lame car sharing scheme for French enthusiasts of cheap Swedish furniture. We guess it's actually really hard to make a viable electric car after all. We're as disappointed as you are, but it could be kinda neat if Ikea brought something similar stateside, allowing us to take our flat pack furniture home in cheap rental vans instead of 2009 Honda Fit Sport loaners. [via Fast Company]

RUF has partnered with German-based Tier One supplier, Siemens, to create the world's first electrically driven 997 Porsche 911 aptly named the RUF eRuf 'Greenster.' They've managed to create a complete electric replacement to the standard 911's 3.8 liter boxer-6 engine and it's packed with butt-loads of torque, 700 lb-ft of it to be exact. The 362 horsepower doesn't hurt either, but that's not what you'll feel when you mash your foot on the throttle.

The massive torque numbers are great, but what really sets this electric RUF apart from the crowd is the Siemens eDrive 'double-motor' concept that can charge on a 400-volt power source and using the same power outlet, the system can feed energy back into the system, effectively creating an overpriced, badass-looking generator.

RUF really knows how to get the enthusiasts on board and this time they've started with a 997-based cabriolet and added a rollover bar and fabric/plastic rear removable window section. They then painted the eRUF 'Greenster' to look like a classic Porsche 912 Targa which gives it epic win status among the Jalop-elite. RUF says that they'll build a small run of the eRUF electric sports car and you can expect to see them on the street sometime in 2010.

RUF Press Release:

The Evolution of the eRUF in Collaboration with our Technology Partner
Siemens Corporate Technology

The research organization of Siemens (Corporate Technology) is working intensively
on the topic of electro mobility, which could become part of its environment portfolio,
with 19 billion Euros already contributing a mere 25% of total revenue. The demands
made on the electric vehicle and the design of the power network infrastructure play
a decisive role. Topics being investigated include, among others, energy generation
and distribution, traffic and energy management, smart metering, power electronics,
software and sensor technology and of course electric drive train systems, and the
recovery and storage of energy. Within the scope of this research, Siemens
Corporate Technology has developed an integrated system consisting of a
motor/generator, power electronics and an interface with a battery connection for
electrically powered cars.

The fundamental ideas that led RUF Automobile GmbH to develop an electrically
driven vehicle came from Alois Ruf. The head of the automobile manufacturer from
the Bavarian town of Pfaffenhausen had a vision of a simple energy transfer concept:
his hydroelectric power plants, which feed 35 million kW hours of electricity per
annum into the Germany electrical network, could also propel the eRUF.
The symbiosis of two leading companies – Siemens as a leader in the electric
industry and RUF in the automobile industry - will leverage the best possible
synergies for the future of electro mobility.

Siemens Corporate Technology has developed an adapted power train for the eRuf
"Greenster". Thus, a preliminary version of the concept for the innovative eDrive from
Siemens will already be on display in Geneva. While the vehicle to be presented in
Geneva is still equipped with a central motor with a power output of 270 kW and 950
Nm [Wort gelöscht] torque, the following version will be produced as a small series
with Ruf as a double-motor concept with the innovative integral eDrive. As such, the
eRUF will be the world's first electric vehicle fitted with a bi-directional network
connection, which – without the otherwise necessary additional recharging
electronics – is capable to be recharged in less than an hour at a 400-volt power
outlet – and can use the same power outlet to feed energy back into the power
network if required. The small series planned on the basis of this concept by RUF
Automobile is expected to hit the streets in 2010.

[via RUF]

We've already provided you with full details and driving video of the Chevy Volt/Holden Volt-based 2011 Opel Ampera, but what we couldn't show you before is the eco-sexy gloss black interior, leading us to believe that beauty really isn't only skin deep.

Update: GM not only let the cat out of the bag with the 2011 Opel Ampera, but they also took the time to debut the 2011 Vauxhall Ampera. They get a Jalopnistar for their killer Photoshop badge swap.

GM Press Release:

The revolutionary Opel Ampera celebrated its world premiere at the 79th Geneva Motor Show. General Motors Europe president, Carl-Peter Forster, unveiled the extended-range electric vehicle and announced plans to put the car into production in late 2011.

The Opel Ampera will also be offered with right-hand drive in the United Kingdom by Opel's sister-brand, Vauxhall.

"The Opel Ampera further demonstrates GM's leadership in the electrification of the automobile," said Carl-Peter Forster. "Its ground-breaking Voltec electric propulsion system is the kind of game-changing technology the automotive industry needs to respond to energy and environmental challenges."

The five-door, four-seat Opel Ampera is influenced by Opel's award-winning design language of sculptural artistry meets German precision, incorporating several styling cues from the innovative Flextreme and GTC Concept show cars

"There could not be a more fitting way to celebrate Opel's 110 years of innovation in the car industry than by revealing the Opel Ampera," said Alain Visser, GME Vice President Opel.

The Opel Ampera's wheels are turned electrically at all times and speeds. For journeys up to 60 km (MVEG), it runs on electricity stored in the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery, and emits zero CO2. When the battery's energy is depleted, electricity from an engine-generator extends the Ampera's range to more than 500 km.

The Opel Ampera can be plugged into any household 230v outlet for charging. GM Europe is analyzing the requirements of a recharging infrastructure for plug-in electric cars with energy companies, including Iberdrola of Spain.

Opel Ampera Gets Power and Refinement from Voltec Propulsion System

The revolutionary Opel Ampera will be the first emission-free, electrically driven automobile in Europe suitable for everyday driving. With its Voltec electric propulsion system providing lively acceleration and high levels of refinement, the five-door Opel Ampera seats four passengers in comfort, offers a useful trunk for their luggage, and features an extended range of more than 500 kilometers.

"Driving electrically is not only about ecology," said global vehicle line executive and chief engineer, Frank Weber. "Driving electrically is also great fun. Instantaneous, silent torque of 370 Newton meters under your right foot feels like flying!"

Electricity drives the Opel Ampera's wheels at all times and speeds. For trips up to 60 km (MVEG), power is supplied by the electricity stored in the cutting-edge, 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery.

While driving on electricity delivered by the battery, the Opel Ampera emits zero CO2. When the battery's energy is depleted, a gasoline/E85-fueled engine-generator seamlessly provides electricity to power the electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery. This mode of operation extends the range to 500 kilometers, until the battery can be charged by plugging the vehicle's on-board charge system into a standard household 230v outlet.

Opel Ampera gives driver confidence and peace of mind

Unlike a conventional battery-electric vehicle, the Opel Ampera eliminates "range anxiety," giving the confidence and peace of mind that the driver will not be stranded by a depleted battery.

"An advanced lithium-ion battery system is the key to getting the Opel Ampera into the hands of consumers", said Hans Demant, GME's vice president of engineering. "The engineers at our research and development center in Mainz-Kastel, Germany are testing the battery around the clock, 365 days a year to ensure that it meets the expectations of our customers."

The Opel Ampera's battery pack will be manufactured by GM at the first lithium-ion production facility to be operated by a major automaker in the United States. More than 220 lithium-ion cells in the T-shaped pack provide ample power. The nearly silent electric drive unit delivers 370 Nm of instant torque, the equivalent of 150 horsepower, zero to 100 km/h acceleration in around nine seconds, and a top speed of 161 km/h.

The Opel Ampera will be well-suited to the daily driving schedule of most European customers. For example, approximately 80 percent of German drivers travel less than 50 km daily.

Opel estimates that an electrically driven kilometer in the Opel Ampera will cost about one-fifth compared to a conventional gasoline vehicle, at current fuel prices.

Technical Specifications

* Vehicle type: 5-door, front-wheel-drive hatchback
* Category: Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV)
* Chassis: independent McPherson struts front, compound crank twist axle rear, four-wheel disc brakes, full regenerative brakes to maximize energy capture, electric power-assist steering
* Seating capacity: four
* Performance
o Top speed: 161 km/h
o EV range: 60 km (MVEG cycle)
o Total range: >500 km
* Dimensions
o Wheelbase: 2685 mm
o Length: 4404 mm
o Width: 1798 mm
o Height: 1430 mm
o Cargo volume: 301 l
* Battery system
o Type: lithium-ion
o Energy: 16 kWh
* Electric drive unit
o Power: 150 hp (111 kW)
o Torque: 370 Nm
* Exterior
o Tire and wheel size: specially developed low rolling-resistance tires on 17-inch forged aluminum wheels

[via GM]

This is the second version of the Volt we've seen in a week, with the 2010 Holden Volt throwing a shrimp on the eco-friendly barbie last Thursday. While we suspect that Holden may have had one tinnie too many, the Ampera gains an attractively angular front fascia to set it apart from its new world relatives.

The 2010 Opel Ampera's electric-only range will be identical to the Volt's 40 miles, but let's put it in kilometers for all our cheerfully backwards European friends: 60 Km.

The official press release follows:

The Opel Ampera: Star of the 2009 Geneva Motor Show

Electrically propelled vehicle with more than 500 kilometers autonomy

The revolutionary Opel Ampera, which will premiere March 5 at the Geneva Motor Show, will be the first emission-free, electrically propelled automobile in Europe suitable for everyday driving. For journeys up to 60 km, the five-door, four-seat hatchback runs on electricity stored in the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery, and emits zero CO2. When the battery's energy is depleted, electricity from an on-board engine-generator extends the Ampera's range to more than 500 km.

[source: GM]

The survey of 4,000 people in eight countries, primarily in Europe, but also including the U.S., China and Japan, by consultant Bain & Co., claims high-income buyers are ready to buy all-electric vehicles as a second vehicle for short trips. “Consumers would be buying now if there were products,” says Gregor Matthies, a Munich-based partner at Bain specializing in the auto industry.

Of course, as you'd expect, demand is highest among people who already own luxury cars, but feel guilty and want to show the world they really, really, really do care about the environment. Actually, not the world so much. Really they only want to show the people who live on their street and anyone they happen across in their travels.

What the survey also found was customers are eager to buy an electric car from familiar names such as Toyota, Daimler, Volkswagen or BMW. (Respondents weren’t asked about the U.S. carmakers.) “The consumers are expecting trusted brands to deliver these products,” says Matthies.

But, there's another challenge for carmakers — differentiating their products from the competition. Electric motors are much less complicated to build than internal combustion engines and don't use the same gearboxes, have the same engine noises and torque curves that have sold BMWs, Lexus and Mercedes as unique.

So design may be the key competitive factor. As we're already seeing with the Volt, Prius and new Insight, there's little you can do with the exterior of a car on a hybrid when you're attempting to minimize wind resistance to maximize fuel economy. Luckily, electrics aren't truly in a real-world competition mode yet. They don't need to maximize wind resistance because the desire with an electric is not to truly maximize fuel economy, it's to look green and look good doing it. Thus, the Tesla Roadster and Fisker Karma can look fast and cool because they're not designed to be appliances like the Prius, Volt and Insight.

Some automakers may decide to form partnerships with companies known for superb product design. Thus, the reason the Bain survey asked people whether they would buy a car from Apple (also, Thomas Friedman, but he can suck it). Only 21% of Europeans asked said they would, vs. 48% who said they'd be willing to buy an electric car from BMW. Still, Apple’s score was surprisingly high considering they've never made a motor vehicle.

Despite the response rate, they shouldn't be designing an electric car exterior, or even partnering with an automaker on one. Here's why. As the market for electric cars matures, design may be the key competitive factor. And since the exterior of most "appliance" electric cars will eventually mature to take advantage of wind resistance needs, there won't but much room for toying with design. But the interior? That'd be a place to play around with.

Apple has long been known for producing some of the most popular and user friendly gadgets and computers on the planet and they’ve excelled in creating a usable human machine interface (HMI) with the iPod scroll wheel. They’ve also gotten pretty close to perfection with the iPod Touch and iPhone touch-screen interface that would surely do a lot of good if their methods replaced the crappy touch screen navigation systems installed in most cars today. BMW, Audi and Mercedes have all tried their hands at creating their own HMI experience with their wheeled control devices, but we all know how that’s panned out.

If Apple were to give Jonathon Ive and his design team the task to design the interior of an electric car, how could they really make it better? For starters, they would likely integrate all HVAC, navigation and media control functions into one simple, usable interface not unlike the iPod scroll wheel. Haptic touch would be a necessity to allow the driver to concentrate on driving the car while interfacing with the secondary controls, but how would this information get transmitted? It’s likely that a large 7-8” infotainment screen would remain, but the current gauge cluster of today’s cars would go the way of the dodo, instead, it would be replaced by a large format LCD display that would match the center stack’s infotainment display. A simple icon-based navigation layout would be likely a.k.a. the Apple OS dock, but would be simplified for use while driving. These are just a few of the obvious ways that Apple could improve on the interior of electric cars and would hopefully trickle down to more mainstream cars.

There’s no lying when we say Apple knows how to build a consumer product but they should never even think of building an electric car. However the interior? Well, quite simply put, Apple could potentially revolutionize the way we see interiors, much the same as they’ve done for computers, mp3 players and cell phones. We just hope that doesn’t mean gloss white plastic everywhere we look.

[via BusinessWeek, Bain & Co.]

Not only is SSC claiming that they're creating the world's fastest electric production car, but they're also claiming that it'll be one of the fastest charging electric cars in the world. Their Nanotechnology Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery pack is said to take only 10 minutes for a full recharge on a standard 110 volt outlet and will grant the driver a total of 200 miles on a single quick charge. Watch out Volt, Tesla and Fisker.

While the super fast charging time sounds great, it's the electric motor system that piques our interest. SSC has dubbed it the AESP, or All-Electric Scalable Powertrain, and what makes it unique is its scalable horsepower rating and liquid cooling in a single light-weight, compact package. The AESP is being developed to fit a wide assortment of applications from a 200 HP mid-size car; a 500 HP light truck or SUV and up to 1,200 HP with a "piggy back" setup for heavier duty trucks, buses and military equipment.

SSC won't say which of these motors the Ultimate Aero EV will receive, but our guesses are leaning heavily on the 1,200 HP version. Check out the Ultimate Aero EV in the gallery and read more about the new tech behind the Aero EV in the SSC press release below:

SSC Announces Green Technologies Revealing Revolutionary Battery and Electric Powertrain Technology

West Richland, WA (01/19/09)

Shelby SuperCars (SSC) released the details today of the revolutionary electric vehicle technology to be unveiled in the second quarter of this year. SSC will reveal its innovative all-electric powertrain in the current Ultimate Aero, the Guinness Certified “Fastest Production Car in the World,” to create the Ultimate Aero EV and will reinforce the company as a benchmark in the auto industry. But unlike other auto manufacturers, SSC’s new technology will set a new standard in the electric car industry – one of 10 minute recharges, super horsepower and ranges of up to 200 miles per charge.

While other auto manufacturers focus on producing Green technology for specific cars, SSC’s focus is on producing Green technologies for a wide range of applications for an even wider range of vehicles. SSC’s electric powertrain package, named AESP (All-Electric Scalable Powertrain) is unique due to its scalable horsepower, light weight, compact size, quick recharge time and liquid cooling.

SSC’s Nanotechnology Rechargeable Lithium Battery pack is rechargeable in only 10 minutes on a standard 110 outlet and has a 150-200 mile range on a single charge. This means that in a typical 8 hour day, the car using this technology could go 200 miles, charge for 10 minutes (the time it typically takes to fill up a tank of gas), then drive 200 more miles, charge for 10 minutes and continue on. Some other EV technologies necessitate an overnight charge creating a class of “commuter electric cars” and are not practical alternatives to gas combustion automobiles.

The AESP’s main feature is its scalability. The all-electric SUV or delivery truck is now a reality in the not-so-distant future. The AESP is scalable from 200 horsepower for economy and midsize cars, to 500 horsepower for light trucks and SUVs, and up to 1200 horsepower for delivery trucks, heavy duty equipment, buses and military vehicles. The revolutionary design proves electric-powered vehicles not only match, but also provide more linear power (electric motors have 100% torque at 0 RPM) and overall performance than internal combustion vehicles.

• All-electric. No gasoline.

• Light weight. Just a fraction of the weight of a standard combustion engine (<200lbs.) • Extended performance. Internal cooling systems are built into the motors. • Compact size. 1/18 the space of a standard engine; significant increase in cargo room. • Scalable horsepower. From 200 horsepower (one motor) to 1200 horsepower (two motors "piggy backed"). • Quick recharges. Only 10 minutes on standard 110 outlet. The current AESP was designed to meet the manufacturing and quality requirements of major automotive manufacturers, transportation operators and the military. SSC will wholesale the AESP to mass production car companies, governments, and to public, private, and niche businesses. Costs for mass-produced units are $5K-$6K per unit for 1000 to 10,000 units (with further reduction in unit cost for increased production.) SSC’s next milestone will be the pursuit of the “World’s Fastest Electric Car” with the Ultimate Aero EV later this year.

[via SSC]

The Eliica –- short for Electric Lithium-Ion battery Car - is an impressive eight-wheeled beast of a ride that outnumbers the Covini C6W on the weirdness scale. Powered by eight in-wheel electric motors producing 60 KW or roughly 80 hp each, the Eliica will sprint to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds and will power on to 100mph in just 3 seconds more. That’s faster than a Porsche 911 Turbo! And with four doors! Unfortunately all this power costs some dough and you’ll be able to pick up your very own Eliica for $255,000 pending development sponsorship.

Currently only two of these Japanese arachnids exist, but with the help of just a little more corporate sponsorship, the Eliica team can build 200 of them. That’s enough for at least two in the Jalopnik garage and one for yours!

Initially developed in 2003 by environmental engineer, Hiroshi Shimizu, the Eliica uses lithium-ion batteries to reach an estimated top speed of 250 mph and a range of 200 miles. Shimizu developed his first electric car over 20 years ago by converting a gasoline-powered sedan to electric drive.

We’re crossing our fingers for the Eliica to receive sponsorship because we really want to take it for a spin. Check out the video below to see the awesome Eliica in action.

Short Documentary On The Eliica Electric Car

Press Release:

Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu built his first electric car more than 20 years ago, converting a gasoline-powered sedan to electric drive.

An environmental engineer by training, he became increasingly interested in pushing the boundaries of electric car technology; the most recent manifestation being the Eliica, a powerful, eight-wheeled super car with a 230 mph (370 km/h) top speed. Each of the eight wheels is driven by a 60kW (80 hp) electric motor.

First conceived in 2003, Shimizu and his engineering students built a pair of Eliicas for an estimated $320,000. One version is considered a "speed" model; the second, the "acceleration" model. The goal of the Keio University team is to set the world speed record of 400 km/h (250 mph).

Both models utilize lithium ion batteries and have a working range of 200 miles (320 km).

Interest in Dr. Shimizu's efforts apparently has been recently rekindled as the government of Japan recognizes the importance of electric vehicles. The team would like to receive corporate sponsorship to build 200 of the four-passenger vehicles for an estimated price of 30 million Yen or approximately $255,000.

[Eliica via EcoGeek]

According to the person who posted the video, the Tango crossed the quarter mile in 14.48 seconds at a speed of 92.15 mph, besting the Tesla's 14.666 seconds at 101.23 miles. As a point of reference, the Tango has approximately the same quarter-mile time as a Mazda RX-8 while the Tesla is on par with an Infiniti G35 sedan. More interesting than this information is the novelty of watching a quiet drag race. Just listen to those motors quietly whir. Report from the videographer below.

On Nov 30th, the fastest production electric vehicles in the U.S. went head-to-head. While their first meeting had a number of issues, most notably the underfilled Tango battery pack, and the Tesla's non-upgraded drivetrain, the 1/4 mile time is quite close and indicative of races to come.

In this race, the Tango got 92.15mph in 14.480 seconds, beating its 14.7 "dial" handicap and thus losing the competition; the Tesla got 101.23mph in 14.666 seconds, slower than its 14.5 "dial" handicap and allowing it to proceed to the next round. (Two rounds later, the Tango's driver got behind the wheel of the Tesla and also beat its "dial" handicap... and thus lost!)

Thanks to Jerry for the tip

[Source: YouTube]

The Lincvolt will be entered into the Progressive Automotive X-Prize competition and make an attempt at 100 MPG equivalent fuel economy - a far, far cry from the original mileage. You can learn more about the car and see it's live unveil over at the project website: Lincvolt.com. [Telegraph.co.uk]

The car is being sold as part of a "ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME Own the World’s Ultimate Electric Super Car Package" promo Sam's is putting on, where the first eager buyer with a membership and the ability to log on to the company's website can buy it on November 12th. The package includes round-trip airfare and lodging for two in Los Angeles, time and training at a local race track, the very first car off the production line and shipping to get the car home at the end. (Hat Tip goes to goatrope) [Sams Club]

To be fair, these pics were taken this past Sunday, so it's poor evidence the place is in fact a ghost town but let's just say a tumbleweed rolling through the parking lot wouldn't be out of place. Aside from the fancy sign out front and the etched glass doors, it looks like every other sparsely decorated suburban office we've ever seen.

We love the reading materials in the lobby — all the buff books, plus Vanity Fair, a book on classic cars, The Toyota Way and its wonderful explanation of "lean manufacturing" and the Toyota Production System (may we also recommend Machine That Changed The World and the End of Detroit). TPS, as you know, is the management process where a company welcomes questions and seeks to solve problems via all manner of available help. Openness and communication is key with TPS. Hmm, maybe they only got through the first couple of chapters.

Hilariously, our two favorite books laying around have to be the Tesla bio on the waiting room table sitting across from The Car That Could, a book about the life and death of GM's EV1. We'll let you draw your own conclusions from that one.

While we were at the Detroit Auto Show last year we covered the North American debut of the BYD Dual Mode Hybrid, a car we found instantly intriguing. Toward the end of the show we went back to ask a few questions and became part of the now infamous in-show Chinese hybrid test drive.

At the time we wrote:

And how was the car? I have to admit, besides it's "heavily borrowed" styling, the F6DM was quite smooth and with a level of fit and finish that was superior to many of the other full production cars on display from China. And that electric motor? Quiet as a mouse. And though we didn't get the high-speed tour, the car drove smoothly and easily around the floor. Is this the future? I can't be sure. But there's no doubt that the company's Chairman is dedicated to proving his car works.

We did not mean this as an indication that your family should invest a million dollars in the company. Though we provide insight into the auto industry, and even sometimes show up on the airwaves of CNBC (and Fox Business in my case) it would be a stretch to think that we're the best source to use while doing due diligence for these kinds of major investments.

Just because we give a thumbs up in a picture does not mean we're endorsing a company. We're looking at you Warren Buffet.

Seriously, we don't want you to end up living in your car.

That is all.

[East Bay Express article, Escape From Berkeley FAQ]

By comparison, the Tesla Roadster takes 8 hours or so to recharge its batteries, but it’s also capable of a sub 4-second 0-60 time, a 125 MPH top speed and a range of 200 miles. The Tazzari, which will presumably be far cheaper, is only capable of hitting 56 MPH, has a range of 93 miles and does 0-31 MPH in “less than 5 seconds.”

While it’s not a performance car, the Tazzari Zero actually looks like it has significant merit as a city runabout, having range and performance considerably greater than its main competition, the G-Wiz. Like that car, the Zero looks small enough to park virtually anywhere, and at less than 1,200 pounds, it’s seriously lightweight too. There’s no word on when the Zero will come to market, but when it does it looks like it’ll be available in Italy, England and France, where legislation and local preferences make vehicles like these extremely practical. [Tazzari via Smart Planet]

Joule is Africa’s first battery electric engineering masterpiece from Optimal Energy. The silent passenger MPV is manufactured as a standard six-seater which complies with UN-ECE safety standards offering an optimal, no-compromise, and zero emission urban driving experience.

Joule is as beautiful and elegant as it is stylish with a classically timeless appeal set to transform the face of the urban transportation landscape. Developed from the outset as an electric vehicle, Joule delivers optimal design, maximum interior space and a minimal exterior and environmental footprint.

* Maximum 400km Range
* Regenerative ABS Braking system
* Steel space frame and side impact protection
* Two dynamic drive train options
* Excellent vehicle handling and dynamics
* Sports-like acceleration from standstill
* Optimal interior space with minimal exterior footprint

[Optimal Energy]