electric

Is it possible to achieve dharma at 25 mph?

The Zenn (which stands for Zero Emission, No Noise), available since February from Feel Good Cars subsidiary Zenn Motor, can be purchased from 33 dealerships throughout 20 U.S. states.

Surprised that you've never heard of the two-"n" Zenn? That may be because the company doesn't plan to have an official car-promoting launch until September 9, a company representative told CNET News.com last week.

Priced between $12,750 and $16,000, depending on options selected, the car offers a driving range of up to 35 … Read more

SolFocus, a solar technology company that was incubated at the Palo Alto Research Center (now an offshoot of Xerox), has raised $52 million more dollars to help it launch in Europe.

The company, which had previously raised $27 million, specializes in solar concentrators, which direct more sunlight onto solar cells that would ordinarily fall on them. The more sunlight, the more electricity the solar cell can generate. The more electricity a cell can generate, the more economical solar energy--which generally still costs about twice as much as regular grid power--becomes.

SolFocus' concentrators magnify the light 500 times. Several companies make … Read more

It's showtime again in the auto world--that time of the year when manufacturers trot out their latest fleets of new models and wacky concepts. In preparation for the forthcoming Frankfurt auto show, Nissan this week unveiled details of its Mixim electric concept car. According to Nissan, the Mixim (which is unlikely to make it to production) is aimed at young, Web-savvy, digital-age drivers with a penchant for gaming. Check out our photo gallery here.

A new day, a new electric car company.

Shai Agassi, who left software giant SAP earlier this year, is raising funds to start an electric car company, according to Reuters. The Israel Corp, a large holding company, has pledged to invest $100 million in the venture. That will give it one-third of the company, according to Reuters.

The idea is to make Israel more independent from oil imports. Although it's right next to some of the world's largest oil deposits, Israel actually has little oil and natural gas of its own. One of the few large oil deposits, … Read more

How far can the Tesla Roadster go in real world conditions? We're going to get more data on that probably in the near future.

The all-electric sports car will go more than 200 miles on a single charge. However, the actual results will vary depending on the terrain and your driving style, according to Diarmuid O'Connell, director of corporate development. The company, for instance, has driven the car on a single charge from Lake Tahoe, Calif., to corporate headquarters in San Carlos, Calif., a distance of about 200 miles. (Truckee to San Carlos is 207 miles, according to … Read more

Phoenix Motorcars, the guys who want to bring you all-electric SUVs and trucks, won't be coming out with their cars this year after all.

CEO Dan Elliot posted this note on the company's site late Thursday night:

"We must also thank you for your patience in our development progress as we have worked to bring our product to market. We recognize that our product rollout has taken longer than originally expected as we continue to work through certification with the California Air Resources Board (ARB), finalize our financing package, and set up our production facility that will … Read more

Given the spate of electric motorcycles hitting the market, many of us might be tempted to give one of them a shot for the health of the environment if nothing else. But one about our personal well being?

Currie Technologies is trying to provide the best of all worlds with its "iZip Express," a hybrid bike that can supplement your natural pedal power with a small electric motor. Gizmag says the bike's engine, which generates more power as you pedal faster, can yield top speeds of 25 mph on a battery with a range of 31 miles … Read more

At the rate they're being churned out, one might think the whole world will soon be ditching their cars for electric motorcycles. Whether they be breaking speed records or doing Harley impersonations, new models seem to be coming out all the time.

The latest to roll into our view is Brammo's "Enertia," which is scheduled to go into production next year. The bike, which runs on six lithium phosphate batteries, has a range of 45 miles per three-hour charge and can reportedly hit a top speed of 50 mph. What makes it stand apart from other … Read more

We seem to have had a run of gadgetry for bi-wheeled vehicles lately, so it's no surprise that Yamaha would get into the act. But the combination of features it's chosen for its EC-02 electric bike is something of a head-scratcher: an iPod dock and a frame that glows in the dark, according to Inventor Spot.

The built-in dock makes enough sense, with controls on the handlebar and a clear cover to protect the player against the elements, but the need for nighttime luminescence is less clear to us. Perhaps it has something to do with the bike'… Read more