Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann told Germany’s Automobilewoche trade paper that Lamborghini (Audi) will be launching a Hybrid Lamborghini Gallardo model by 2015.Officials from rival Ferrari officials have also signaled that a Hybrid Ferrari is on the way, by the same time.. interesting

Like the Toyota Prius, the Hybrid Lamborghini Gallardo will use an electric motor during slow speeds, like city traffic and those lovely interstate parking lots. During pedal to the metal, the traditional V10 engine will take over to deliver the usual Lamborghini power and sound.

[Source: ]

Toronto-based Zenn Motor Company Inc. shares (ZNN) SOARED today based on new battery technology results released by one of their partner EEStor Inc in Texas. This ground breaking battery technology is key in enabling electric cars to meet minimum highway speed standards. The stock rose to a high of $5.79 CAD (up 68%) and currently up 48%.

The ZENN can be recharged anywhere by simply plugging into a standard electrical outlet and can be ready to go in as little as 4 hours. At only pennies per mile to operate and with minimal maintenance requirements, the ZENN is the ideal choice for consumers and businesses alike.

ZENN Motor Company Inc. is a developer, manufacturer and supplier of electric vehicles. The Company focuses on providing zero emission transportation solutions. The Company’s initial EV offering was a low speed electric vehicle called the ZENN.

Zenn currently builds a 2 seat fully electric vehicle at a plant in Quebec, Canada. It has a range of 50-80km (31-50miles) and a top speed of 40km/h (25mph). It is currently not allowed on public roads in many jurisdictions due to its low speed yet can be used in low speed streets and controlled areas such as campuses and gated communities.

With this new battery technology Zenn plans to build a new highway capable vehicle called the CityZENN which is expected to have a top speed of 125km/h (78mph) and have a range of 400km (250miles) on a single charge. Initial production is late 2009 with commercial availability in 2010.

Zenn Motors also has worldwide exclusive rights to use the battery in vehicles under 1400kg (3086 lbs).

Texas based EEStor who manufactures the battery is a privately held low key company which was responsible for releasing the positive data with respect to it’s energy and power density results of their patented modified barium-titannate powders battery.

[Source: ZennCars.com]

In the first video, Sebastian Vettel explains the 2009 Formula 1 rule changes with the assistance of some pretty wicked awesome animations. The coolest new rule allows for regenerative braking system (called KERS – kinetic energy recovery systems) utilizing a battery to store the energy created when braking. This system will give each driver a 6.5 seconds boost of 82hp per lap! The second video is similar to the first but incorporates some of the F1 drivers (Lewis Hamilton) and their thoughts on the upcoming changes.

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[Source: YouTube.com]

I recently had a chance to check this Electric Porsche 911 / 959 while at Supercar Weekend 2009 in Palm Beach Florida.

This EV’s purpose was built for 95% driving around town. Battery options range from 50-200 mile range and can reach over 100 mph. Lead acid package includes 17 Odyssey series-2150 93AH batteries, EPN DC 11″ motor, 1000 amp water cooled controller, 5 speed 915 Porsche trans. 17″ Cup wheels. Power windows, A/C. Color change available. Available for $65,000 USD.

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[Source: evPorsche.com]

Nikolay Fomenko is a very accomplished Russian renaissance man. He is a musician, comic actor and FIA N-GT race champion who later became a leading showman on Russian TV.

He recently launched his country’s first hybrid supercar company called Marussia. Don’t forget to checkout the Russian coach built E-Go Revolt which also broke news earlier this year.

Fomenko brings a lot of knowledge from his racing career for Marussia.

The Marussia is slated to use a 240-hp, 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine yet unclear who will supply the electric drive components.

Approximately 35% car will be Russian and will be designed to provide a range of 400km and should do the 0-100 km/h dash in under 5 seconds with a price tag around $100,000 USD. First customer cars will be delivered late 2009.

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[Source: RussiaToday.com, Autoblog.com, WorldCarFans.com]

First off Jeremy, its pronounced TES-LA NOT TEZ-LA. Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson candidly expressed “say goodbye to dialup, say hello to broadband motoring!” as he raced the Tesla Roadster against the Lotus Elise in a straight line. Checkout the video before BBC takes it down and see how badly the Tesla smokes the Elise!

I am amazed that the Wired Blog has no problem embedding a video of Top Gear which they very well know will be taken down by the BBC.

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[Source: Blog.Wired.com, YouTube]

The BRABUS customization package for the Tesla Roadster includes special high-quality matte white paint job, carbon-fiber air inlets, BRABUS perforated lightweight leather and Alcantara, BRABUS carbon fiber rear wing and rear diffuser, weight-optimized BRABUS Monoblock S light-alloy wheels AND several simulated engine sounds: V8 engine, racecar engine and 2 futuristic Star Wars tie fighter Beam and millennium falcon Warp. It will debut at the 2008 ESSEN Motorshow November 29th to December 7th 2008.

The first tuned electric car comes from BRABUS: The first project of the future cooperation between Tesla Motors, Inc. and the new BRABUS business division Zero Emission celebrates its world debut at the 2008 Essen Motor Show. BRABUS (Brabus-Allee, D-46240 Bottrop, phone + 49 / (0) 2041 / 777-0, fax + 49 / (0) 2041 / 777 111, Internet www.brabus.com) presents an exclusive customization program for the Tesla Roadster, the world’s first electrically powered production sports car.

The new BRABUS logo with added lightning bolt is the trademark of BRABUS Zero Emission vehicles.

To give the sports car a more exciting sound the BRABUS electronics specialists have developed a space sound generator. The occupants on-board the Tesla Roadsters can choose from several simulated engine sounds including that of a typical V8 combustion engine, a racecar engine and two futuristic soundscapes named Beam and Warp. The volume of the sound is dependent on the momentary power output of the electric motor.

A custom-tailored BRABUS tire/wheel combination further improves handling characteristics. The two-seater is refined with weight-optimized BRABUS Monoblock S light-alloy wheels in size 7Jx18 in front and in size 8.5Jx19 in back. BRABUS technology partner Pirelli provides the corresponding P Zero Nero high-performance tires in size 215/35 ZR 18 in front and in size 255/30 ZR 19 on the rear axle. These tires were developed to deliver minimum rolling resistance.

The two-seater also receives an even more striking exterior at BRABUS. The customization measures include a special high-quality matte white paint job. To give the mid-engine sports car an even more enticing face the BRABUS designers treat the front apron to a lightweight carbon-fiber front lip and daytime running lights integrated into the front grille. Matte-white surrounds for the headlamps add interesting detail to the overall effect.

The sides of the Tesla are upgraded with BRABUS entrance lights shaped like futuristic space lights. They are activated with the keyless fob or by pulling on a door handle. BRABUS carbon-fiber air inlets add even more sporty flair. Immediately apparent in the rear are the BRABUS rear wing and the BRABUS rear diffuser, both made from light yet extremely strong carbon fiber. The round taillights are accentuated further by matte-white applications.

The BRABUS customization program for the Tesla Roadster also includes exclusive interior options. The range of products starts with scuff plates with illuminated BRABUS logo. They are integrated into the top of the rocker panels.

The company-own BRABUS upholstery shop masterfully handcrafts exquisite custom interiors for the Tesla. The designers chose a combination of especially soft yet durable BRABUS perforated lightweight leather and Alcantara. The cockpit features white seams to reflect the exterior color. The vehicle floor is also upholstered with lightweight leather for added exclusivity.

The goal of the BRABUS customization concept for the Tesla Roadster is to define a potential limited edition as well as an individual tuning program for the Tesla driver.

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[Source: Autoblog.nl]

As we reported earlier last month on rumors of the RUF Electric Porsche Cayman, RUF has actually been developing a prototype RUF Electric Porsche 997! It currently features a 204hp (150kW) electric motor producing 650 Nm (480 lb-ft) of torque.

The Electricl Powered Porsche 911 has 1200 lbs (538 kg) (96 battery cells x 5.6 kg each) worth of Axeon lithium-ion batteries.

The Electric 911 goes from 0 to 62 mph (100km/h) in less than 7 seconds.

and currently its distance per charge is around 155-180 miles (250-300 km) under normal driving conditions.

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[Source: Spiegel.de]

German tuners RUF are currently working their little nut sacs off developing an electric version of the Porsche Cayman! It will most likely compete head on against the Tesla Roadster and will be unveiled sometime in October 2008.

German tuners RUF Automobile GmbH is a producer of high-performance vehicles. They specialize in manufacturing new RUF spec automobiles using bare Porsche chassis. If you need a brief introduction to the RUF lineup of Porsche checkout the VIDEO BELOW!

The new Electric Porsche will feature a 150 Kilowatt electric motor which will produce 201 horses (48 less than the Tesla Roadster) and 479 ft-lb of torque. Its powerful (and still dangerous) lithium-ion battery pack should be good for 150-200 miles and have a top speed in the neighborhood of 125mph.

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[Source: blog.wired.com]

The unnamed owner (for now because of shame) of the Black Tesla Roadster #6 was back at the Menlo Park dealership awaiting news from his insurance company after rear ending a Mercedes Benz C-Class as well as being smoked in ass by a Camry following to close at the corner of Geary Boulevard and Gough Street in San Francisco.

This is the 4th Tesla to be damaged in transit. The first two were crash tests sacrificed in the name of federal crash test certification, while former Tesla CEO Mark Eberhard’s car was damaged by a technician during delivery. To date between 8 and 10 of the $109,000 electric cars have been delivered.

Keep your eyes peeled to CarZi.com as I am sure I will be posting the following themes “DUI in a Tesla”, “Tesla Outruns Police in High Speed Chase”, “Tesla Goes Over Some Bridge”, “Tesla CarJacked” and most realistically “Tesla batteries explode burning driver ever slowly to death”.

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Electric Car News: Zap Alias

[Source: Blog.Wired.com]

The personalized license plate on this blue Porsche 914 is to the point: LKNOGAS

Lefteris‘ homemade electric car, built on the frame and body of a 1971 Porsche 914, is not simply a hobby car; it’s his daily driver for getting around L.A. In the last 12 months, he has put on 8,000 miles, making frequent business trips from his downtown L.A. studio to the Westside.

“I didn’t do it for the cost savings, though it turns out to be an inexpensive way to transport myself. We must stop sending money to countries that are often hostile and repressive, and do something to save our fragile planet.”

“My wife drives the gas guzzler, the Prius,” he said.

His car is packed with 22 lead acid batteries, a power controller, a charger and a 150-pound electric motor. The batteries are wired in series to produce 132 volts of delicious DC, and the motor puts out 20 horsepower, though the rating is calculated differently from a conventional gas engine.

Porsche 914 Blueprint

The range is limited, but practical. Lefteris says the car has a range of 60 miles between charges, though running down the batteries shortens their useful life. The dashboard has electric power meters that he designed to provide information about the voltage of the battery array and the amount of amperage the motor is drawing. “You learn to coast a lot,” he says of his power-management driving style.

Lefteris spent about $18,000 USD to create this electric beauty, which is a lot cheaper than anything likely to hit the market anytime soon!

Roughly 1,000 electric homemade autos operate in California, a mix of fleet vehicles owned by electric utilities and homemade cars. SoCal’s electric enthusiasts meet once a month at the air quality district’s headquarters in Diamond Bar.

Would you like to build your own? I found a magnificant Northern California example (pictured below) of a 1 owner Porsche 914 for sale on Ebay! Check it out, 4 days left on bidding its a steal currently for $2800.00 – Porsche 914 For Sale – Ebay

[Source: LaTimes.com]

The production version will be unveiled in late 2009, or early 2010.

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Electric Car News: Zap Alias

[Source: PopularMechanics.com]

ZAP (short for “Zero Air Pollution”) of Santa Rosa, California, builds various electric vehicles, and sells gray-market conversions of the gas engined Smart Fortwo in the US. ZAP has distributed over 95,000 electric cars, bikes, ATVs, and scooters since its inception in 1994, making it one of the largest in the world.

The company recently announced the Zap Alias, an electric powered 3-wheeler, designed with Lotus, and to be built in China. Zap says the car should be available for sale in 2009.

Specs:
- A motor in each front wheel
- 320 hp
- 0-60 in 5.7 sec
- top speed 120 mph
- range of atleast 100 miles
- price: USD $30,000

AT Carzi, while we like the design of the futuristic but strange looking car, and definitely think any new electric cars should only have in-wheel motors, we question the likelihood of a 2009 release, or a 30k price range. In any case, here’s a low budget video:

Tesla Roadster Reviewed by Jay Leno

People think that if you’re a car enthusiast you have something against electric cars. Not in the least. To me the nice thing about electric vehicles is, if nothing else, they free up the gasoline for our other cars.

I think many car enthusiasts see the future as one where they will use some kind of electric car or hydrogen car during the week and will save their sports cars for the weekend, just as you would play golf or football at the weekend.

What Tesla, an American company that has made an electric version of the very British Lotus Elise, has done is find a way to enjoy a sports car all week long and be green.

The problem with electric cars up to this point is what I call the veggie burger syndrome. When they came out with the veggie burger they made it look like a hamburger, which was disappointing because it doesn’t taste anything like a hamburger. It had been the same with electric cars until this point.

They would take a Volkswagen Golf or some equivalent, rip out the innards and replace it with an electric motor. So you get a car that is not only slower but would not be as safe because most of the safety features were probably taken out of it, it wouldn’t go as far and you’d have something that was less than what you started with.

Tesla is quite smart in that it is reaching the enthusiasts of the market. If you like sports cars and you want to be green, this is the only way to go. The Tesla is a car that you can live with, drive and enjoy as a sports car. I had a brief drive in the car and it was quite impressive. This is an electric car that is fun to drive. Prior to this, most electric cars were driven by people with earth shoes.

I love electric cars. One of the favourites in my garage is my 1909 Baker Electric car. But in the 98 years since that car was made, battery technology and therefore electric car technology has not changed a huge amount.

In the early 1900s Thomas Edison developed an alkaline battery to double or triple the range of the electric car. It didn’t quite do that, but alkaline batteries were neat in that they could be rinsed out and used over and over again. In fact I’m still using the alkaline battery that came with the Baker and was made by Edison himself.

In 1909 a frustrated Edison wrote on a napkin at a dinner and handed it to Henry Ford. On it he’d written: “The electric car is dead.” Almost from that note right up until Tesla, Edison wasn’t far wrong. Not much has been done to progress the battery-powered car since.

Tesla is not the first major manufacturer to have an electric car. GM came out with the EV1 in the early 1990s. I had one for a week and I loved it. It was quick but it only went about 125 miles on a charge. In 80 years it went only 10 miles further that my 1909 Baker Electric, and really a 125-mile range means you only have about a 60-mile range, because you have to come back.

One of the hidden things they don’t tell you about electric cars is that you get good mileage when the temperature is 20C, but when it drops down towards freezing you lose 20-40% because they’re dependent on the ambient temperature. What Tesla has done is put in a cooling/heating system that keeps the battery at a constant temperature.

It’s also built a car that weighs 2,600lb, which is a few pounds heavier than the standard Lotus, whereas most electric cars would be hundreds of pounds heavier. And it handles and drives, for all intents and purposes, like a real sports car.

The difference with this is that it’s faster than a standard Lotus. For something to succeed it has to not only do it as well but better. The Wankel engine was the only brand new engine of the 20th century, but the trouble was it was the equal of the internal combustion engine, it just wasn’t better. So why change? To the average person it’s a case of I’ll stick with what I have.

With this Tesla, you have a Lotus which is faster. The only disadvantage is that you can’t refuel quite as quickly. However, when you do refuel, it’s the equivalent of five cents a gallon, or something similar.

The Tesla handles well. I suppose if you took both it and a Lotus on a racetrack, the standard Elise would win. But for the average person taking it out for a drive, I think you would be really, really impressed. It’s a proper car that meets emission and safety standards. Prior to this, when you saw an electric car in America you didn’t get the airbags and it was sort of a kit car. All you were doing was saving energy. This one meets all federal standards of car production.

Driving the car takes some getting used to. But boy is it quick. It does 0-60mph in 4sec. Like a petrol car, you just put your foot down and go. The real trick with electricity is that it’s alive. You put it in a box and it either escapes or dies. The best way to use power is at the point of generation, which is what hybrids do but then you are back with the problem of having two power plants and the extra weight. Electricity is the best way to run an automobile in the sense that there is no maintenance of any kind.

I have never done any maintenance on my 1909 Baker Electric, other than maybe greasing the wheel hubs. You don’t do anything. You plug it in, charge it and drive it. The motor is virtually maintenance-free. This is a car made back in 1909 I am talking about, and the Tesla is the same way. There is nothing much to break or wear out in the engine department, with the exception of maybe the battery, which remains to be seen. They are claiming well over 200 miles per charge, which is pretty impressive.

Behind the wheel the power comes on sharply because it’s linear. You have instant torque. The faster you accelerate the faster you go. You’ve got a two-speed transmission so you can actually shift it. It’s a slightly different sensation but I think it’s something you’d get used to quickly. You’ve got air-conditioning and a radio and all the things you would have in a normal car. It’s quiet. But many fast cars now are quiet.

When I drove the EV1 I was amazed at how fast it was. Back in the 1990s it was really quick. Top speed was about 85-90mph, but in the real world most of the fun is between 40mph and 80mph, where you put your foot on it.

In the real world I have a Porsche Carrera GT, I have a McLaren F1, and anybody that tells you they’ve taken those cars to 200mph is a liar. They haven’t. Believe me. I did a couple of hundred laps at Talladega and the fastest I got to was 190mph – on a track. By myself. And it was scary. Nobody does those speeds on a public road. If you do, you should be in prison. The real-world fun of acceleration is between 40mph and 80mph.

I think Colin Chapman, the Lotus founder, would be impressed by the technology in the Tesla. He was always looking at making cars lighter and lighter. Lightness is, of course, what makes a car handle. I would say this is the first electric car that truly handles. I think Chapman would be pleased if his design was chosen as an example of superior handling and dynamics.

If one day they were to start a green racing league that used no petrol of any kind, this car would probably win the race the first year out. It feels like a proper sports car.

Would I buy one? Well yes, I would be interested in it. Right now they’re $100,000, so consequently it’s something rich people would buy. But most new technology starts out with rich people. Anti lock brakes started out on the big Cadillacs and Lincolns. They didn’t start out on economy cars. To start with it’s the rich buyers that can absorb the cost. Anybody who buys a Tesla now is making a statement about buying responsibly. It’s a way to make a high performance statement for the new millennium.

If you dropped somebody in from another planet and said, this one with a petrol engine or this one with an electric motor, well, they’d probably say the Tesla. The only downside is the time it takes to charge and that is probably the next step.

The Tesla shows sports cars can be electrifying. The sports car needn’t die once oil runs out. I guess this is the first car that means we as sports car aficionados can see beyond the end of the internal combustion engine.

[Thanks To: Jimmy On The Madwhips Facebook Group ]

[Review Source: http://driving.timesonline.co.uk]

RechargeIT is a Google.org initiative that aims to reduce CO2 emissions, cut oil use and stabilize the electrical grid by accelerating the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid technology (V2G). As a “hybrid” philanthropic venture itself, Google.org can apply a broad mix of resources – investments, grants, policy, public engagement – to addressing the climate crisis.

Google.org is working with A123 Systems and Hymotion to convert it’s growing fleet of hybrid cars into plug-in hybrids and to collect performance data to demonstrate their efficiency.

By demonstrating the technology using Google.org own fleet and supporting others through grants and investments, together we will drive toward a plug-in revolution.

Watch the video featuring Jim Woolsey, Chelsea Sexton, Larry Brilliant and others. This video describes plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and the vehicle to grid (V2G) system as part of the Google.org RechargeIT project.

Plug-In Hybrid Locator:If you have a plug-in car, email them and they will add it to their map of plug-ins across the nation.

This is a super cool initiative. What else would you expect from the “do no evil” company of the millennium? If you have never driven a Toyota Prius, you should go and rent one. They are super fun, not just because of the cool display that shows you (well mostly) the flow of energy, engine usage and recharge state, but the car itself is just freaking cool to drive. Get in one and try it out for a day, you’ll understand what I’m saying within the first 5 minutes.

11:40am – Update
This story – Google pushes 100-mpg car from CNNMoney.com was just freshly delivered and was published at 11:20am today. Many thanks to Vinay’s ever watchful eye.

[Source: gOOgle.org]