Electric Cars: You Want 'Em? We've Got 'Em!
Over the past 3 years, we've written about many electric cars here on
TreeHugger. We think it's time to look in the rearview mirror, so here's an overview. If you see anything you like, just follow the links to see the original articles.
Electric Roadster by Tesla Motors
The electric car that made a lot of people do a double-take (in a good way). Yes, it's expensive, and yes, it's only a two-seater, but it can make people want it like few other green cars, and someone has to pay the early-adopter 'tax'. Our
was in two years ago. Since then, we've written about the opening of the
, about
at the end of its life, and recently about Tesla's hiring of a
.
Update
:
.
Model S by Tesla Motors
We don't really know much about Tesla's second car yet, so no picture. It used to be known as the 'Whitestar' but is now the '
'. A 5-seat, 4-door sporty sedan in the vein of the BMW 5. Should sell for about $60,000 and manage 225 miles on a charge.
E6 Electric Car by BYD
BYD is China's biggest battery maker, and that gives them an edge over most automakers when when it comes to electric cars (the battery's always the big challenge). The
. We don't know yet when the company will start selling it, but its
is scheduled for 2010 (probably to be followed by the
). Range for the E6 should be 300 km (186 miles).
XS500 Electric Car by Miles
When we
, it generated quite a bit of excitement because of its relatively low price tag for a highway-capable electric car: $30,000. We then got more information about the XS500 and confirmation that the target price was now "$30,000 to $35,000" for the 2009 XS500 in the US. The XS500 should have an all-electric range of about 120 miles.
i MiEV Electric Car by Mitsubishi
We've written a lot about the cute little i MiEV electric car by Mitsubishi. It seems relatively close to commercialization. Mitsubishi even announced that it was
, and it has plans to
. For more, you can see photos of the
and
.
R1e Electric Car by Subaru
The R1e by Subaru is kind of a cross between the i MiEV above and
(
). For more, you can see
, and more info about the two
that will be tested by the New York power authority. Our guess is that the R1e won't be commercialized - it's probably a learning platform for Subaru - and the
has more chances of making it to market.
Electric Supercar by Hybrid Technologies
This one is still a concept, and who knows if it will ever be sold, but we're told that a prototype should be on the road next Autumn. It was designed by Hybrid Technologies and doesn't seem to have a name yet. They have planned two version:
. The latter will try to compete in the Automotive X Prize.
Electric Minis by PML and BMW
This is actually two different electric cars. The first one is a normal Mini that was modified by PML (pictured above). They
and it could apparently do 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds! The second version of the
, but unfortunately they're only going to sell them in California, and they're only going to make 500.
EV1 Electric Car by General Motors (RIP)
Next we have the now defunct EV1 electric car that was manufactured by General Motors between 1996 and 1999, and leased in California and Arizona. A good way to get more background info on it is to watch the documentary
. Some people have questioned
, but even if it had big flaws, that's a little beside the point. It was a first, and should have opened the floodgates for more. Instead, the
and even
.
Electric Car by Mercedes (2010)
We don't yet know what this one will look like (pictured above is the F700 concept), but Mercedes has announced ambitious plans to
, and that includes an electric car in 2010. We'll have to wait and see.
Electric Car by Nissan (2010-2012)
Similarly to Mercedes,
to be introduced in 2010 and mass-produced in 2012. We don't know yet what it will look like or what it will be called. Pictured above is Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in front of a test-car (not electric).
REVA Electric Car
When we dig a bit deeper in the archives, we find the
. It's not exactly going to set the mainstream car market afire, but it has the benefit over many other electric cars to be available now. In fact, you can probably see some
.
ZENN Low Speed Electric Car by Feel Good Cars
According to the makers of the
, the name is actually an acronym for "Zero Emissions, No Noise". It is a "low speed neighborhood vehicle" with a top speed of 25 mph and a range of 40 miles.
Tango Electric Car
Mostly known as "That small
!", the electric Tango is faster than you might think: With a
, it can smoke quite a few sports cars. Bonus: You can park 3-4 of them side by side in a regular parking spot.
Eliica Electric Car by KEIO University
A few years ago, this 8-wheel electric monster got segments on evening news all around the world. Even Japan's then prime minister went to have a look. The
is a true speed demon. In the right conditions, it can do 400kph (250mph), and 0 to 100km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 4 seconds. It is powered by li-ion batteries, and the only thing is can't do is go back to the future.
Wrightspeed X1 Electric Car
The fastest electric cars mentioned above can do 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds. That's fast,
really
fast! But that's not enough, apparently:
, leaving the competition in the dust. There's even a popular video of the
.
Saturn SP1 Electric Car Conversion by Students of Napoleon High School
It's no the prettiest of most high-tech electric car featured here, but we've got to give some kudos to teachers and students of Napoleon High School in Jackson, Michigan. This
as part of a school project for the automotive-technology students. Now that's the kind of homework we wish we had in high-school!