electric

For those of you who want an electric car and a trip to the Kennedy Space Center, head on down to Sam's Club.

The club store branch of Wal-Mart Stores is selling a 2007 lithium-powered smart car from Hybrid Technologies this year as part of its once-in-a-lifetime packages. For $35,000 you get the car along with a trip to the NASA Kennedy Space Center to watch a shuttle launch. Some of the technology inside the car comes from NASA. That's the connection.

George Clooney owns one of these. Sam's Club will put the car on sale … Read more

There are a lot of people who are convinced that established automakers and oil companies, along with some support from dealers, conspired together to kill electric cars back in the '90s.

One of the most repeated points they try to make is that General Motors only leased its EV1 electric car to consumers. The theory is that the lease existed so that GM could pull them back, in case people really liked the cars.

Ironically, two electric car start-ups are also going to put out their cars under leasing plans. Shai Agassi, a former SAP executive, has finally released some … Read more

I woke up today ready to write a story on the three-wheeled electric cars coming from Venture Vehicles when a question dawned on me. How many electric car and plug-in start-ups are there in the world today?

I count 16. They are: Tesla Motors (sports cars), Wrightspeed (sports cars and plug-in drivetrains for trucks), Fisker Automotive (electric sedans), Zap (low-speed and sports cars), Miles Automotive (low speed), Zenn Motors (low speed), AC Propulsion (retrofitting Scions for electric), Phoenix Motorcars (SUVs), Aptera (three-wheelers), Porteon (low speed electrics), Lightning (sports cars in England), Reva (economy cars), Ultramotor (electric trishaws), Myers Motors (freakish … Read more

Among the concept cars on display at the 2007 Tokyo auto show, a substantial number run off of electricity. Some, such as the Suzuki Pixy and the Nissan Pivo2, are a little outlandish. But many represent very serious efforts on the part of automakers to develop a successful and practical zero-emission vehicle. Both the Mitsubishi i MiEV Sport and the Subaru G4e look like they are ready for the road.

Click here for photos of electric concept cars at the 2007 Tokyo auto show.

In Mexico, you'll soon be able to buy a house and put a new electric car on the mortgage as part of the package.

Porteon Electric Vehicles, a low-speed electric car company, has signed a deal with a developer in Mexico to effectively bundle its cars with the sale of a home, according to CEO Kenneth Montler, speaking at the Dow Jones Alternative Energy Innovations Conference taking place in Redwood City, Calif.

Porteon's electric vehicles, however, are a far cry from the Tesla Roadsters. The cars, which will come out in the second quarter of next year, top … Read more

Gadgets like the golf watch may have lessened the need for a human caddy, but you still need to figure out how to lug the clubs around the course. And if you're anything like us, carrying them yourself is out of the question. But there's a potential solution that seems almost too good to be true: a remote-controlled caddy.

Running on 12-volt battery that powers two motors, Stewart Golf's "X3R Electric Golf Trolley" will tote your clubs for all 18 holes with a remote that has a 50-yard range, according to Gizmo Watch. Think of … Read more

The cozy relationship between car dealerships and automakers will have to be changed for electric cars to take off, theorized venture capitalist Jennifer Fonstad.

A managing director at Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Fonstad said that Detroit automakers have created an environment--through discounts and volume buying--that make it tough for new, electric car companies to squeeze into the market.

"The tipping point will be breaking the Detroit model," she said at the Alternative Energy Innovations Conference in Redwood City, Calif. Tesla Motors, which DFJ invested in, is already trying to "change the way cars are bought and sold." … Read more

Refrigerator trucks may not be sexy, but they play a vital role in our day-to-day lives by carrying food and supplies from one part of the country to another. However, they also contribute a significant amount of pollution on our roads.

Aura Systems, a company based in El Segundo, Calif., on Wednesday introduced a mobile-power system that keeps produce cold by using electricity instead of diesel fuel.

Traditional refrigeration trucks use a separate diesel engine to drive the compressor that keeps the inside of the truck cold. The extra engine not only emits more pollutants, but is also extremely expensive … Read more

FedEx Europe subsidiary FedEx Express plans to add 10 diesel-electric hybrid vans to its fleet, the company announced Monday.

The vehicles, made by Fiat Group company Iveco, will be used in routes around Turin, Italy, where the company has a manufacturing plant.

"FedEx is making smart strategic investments in projects that will help drive the commercial development of new technologies for industry. We expect these hybrid-electric vehicles to perform with increased fuel efficiency and decreased emissions, making them ideal for city and urban environments," Robert W. Elliott, president of FedEx Express, said in a statement.

A sample van … Read more