GridPoint has just invested around $120 million in accumulated funds to purchase the V2Green electric car charging facilities and software. The company, GridPoint, specialises in the distribution of software that helps to power multiple generating units, in this case, electric car charging outlets. The software is used to control the distribution of electricity from port to car, and eliminates any risk to the car.

The reason for this purchase was to eliminate electricity grid ‘taxing’, which means that in peak times the number of electric cars that are plugged in to recharge would create a demand for too much electricity, so eventually more electric power plants would need to be built. The V2Green software is designed to assist the already present power grid to cope with all this extra energy that is needed.

It is thought that this kind of high demand on the power grid is not going to become much of an issue until late 2010 or early 2011, which is when most of the new electric cars go into wide distribution. The hype over the poor condition of the O-zone layer and other environmental concerns is thought to push electric car sales to an all time high, making the V2Green a necessity, mainly in the U.S. and China.

The current electric and hybrid car batteries, whilst they are fit for purpose, they do not last as long as they should. It is thought that a Lithium-Ion Battery would last twice as long. No figures have been released as of yet, but plans are being pursued to manufacture electronic chips that may serve to help these new batteries work for longer.

Linear’s LTC6802 is it’s name, and it will be able to accurately monitor the power output of up to 12 individual Lithium-Ion battery cells when installed in electric and hybrid cars. The production of the chips is going to be expensive, however work has already commenced, with prototypes nearing completion.

The system has already been purchased by Toyota, to use with it’s third generation hybrid cars which are going to run on Lithium-Ion batteries. More and more companies are placing bids each week, but no other information has been released as of yet. Lithium-Ion batteries are prone to ‘catastrophic failure’, as stated by the company that produces these new technologies. The new chips will eliminate over charging and over discharging damage, making the driving safer and keeping the car in good ‘health’ for longer.

Chrysler, whilst the company has recently revealed it’s electric car production plans, as previously stated in one of my other posts, the plans have been pushed forward! It is apparent that Chrysler is now going to exhibit a line of prototype electric cars as soon as next week.

The company is focusing more on their business strategies in their show to dealers of Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler. The exhibition will take place via videoconference across over 100 movie theaters all around the U.S.A. This will pull Chrysler to the front in the run up to 2010, when most of the new electric cars are released from all of the biggest companies, and some of the older ‘pioneers’ of the electric car.

This new line of electric cars has been hailed as the new generation of electric cars. As they are just some more plug-in hybrids, they are not the most environmentally friendly cars, although they are very technologically advanced…watch this space!!!

Everyone is hearing the buzz around the new Chevrolet Volt. Countless news articles have been written about it, it is mentioned in dozens of blogs etc, but how good is it? Nobody seems to want to make any comments on how good the fuel economy is.

Stepping back slightly, for those who don’t know, the Chevrolet Volt is the newest offering from the motoring industry giants, GM. The Volt is powered by a Lithium-Ion battery combined with an internal combustion engine. Whilst the car is a plug-in hybrid, the combustion engine does still charge the battery.

It is always good news when a motor company embarks on an electric venture, but companies cannot seem to move out of the hybrid shadow. Each year companies reveal plans for new hybrids. Hybrids, hybrids hybrids, when are we going to hear the news of a fully electric powered Volt that can reach speeds of up to 150mph and only needs recharging every 100 miles. Well, for the time being, the technology has not yet been adapted.

Coming back to the Volt, set to arrive in 2010, the combustion engine does have a reasonable fuel economy, although the Toyota alternative, which has been available for some time now, has a better fuel economy. It just seems like GM are having some troubles trying to move away from their usual muscle cars, so they need a more powerful engine, with a less than amazing fuel economy rating.

 Daimler AG, the German car manufacturers and development section has released news that they have already begun creating lithium powered cars with the car giants Mercedes. This news was welcomed by German natives as well as the industry on a more international scale. The news was shortly followed by some even better news.

The company has joined up with it’s research and development section ‘RWE AG’ in the hope of developing and planting over five hundred electric car recharging points across Berlin. This means that anybody that owns a fully electric car could potentially recharge their car anywhere. The access points are going to be planted at private housing areas, public car parks, alongside gas stations and around heavy tourist areas.

This new initiative means that Berlin is going to be the first major city to follow in the footsteps of Tokyo, Japan, whos government has already kick-started plans to have the city filled with electric car charging ports by late 2009. In Berlin, the work is likely to be completely finished, and all ports will be fully operational by the year 2010, if everything goes to plan.

The financial side of things is looking good also, as the German government has stated that they will try to help in any way they can.

Everybody knows that electric cars, although they are reasonably inexpensive to run, they are not cheap to build on a mass scale. Chrysler has shocked the motor industry (in a good way), by pitching the idea to the government that they should offer loans to electric car manufacturers. The estimated ’starting loan’ would have to be somewhere in the region of $25 billion! This would be split up and shared between several different car companies, which would be monitored to see how they are spending the money.

The request came shortly after the American government said they would actively encourage manufacturers that wish to move into the electric car market. It seems like the reason these loans have been refused in the past was because they were simply asking for too much. The initial request from detroit electric car manufacturers was $50 billion. Chrysler have halved the amount, and results look promising, as some high ranking politicians are already backing the idea.

Chrysler is somewhat lagging behind in the electric car race, although some press sources have said that Chrysler plan to manufacture and release an electric car within three to five years. This new loan request could be seen as a ‘jealousy’ bid to try to beat Chevrolet, before they release the ‘Volt’ in 2010. Who knows, however, it does seem like an excellent idea, on paper.

The car manufacturing company ‘Tata’, based in New Delhi, India is planning to release an electric version of their Indica hatchback, as soon as next year. In 2010 the car is going to be released on general sale in Norway first, then in India, following to the U.S. hopefully within just one more year.

The car was showcased at Wednesday’s industry show in Europe, where it received as much praise and publicity as their previous model of gas powered car, the Nano, which is also the world’s cheapest brand new car. Other manufacturers such as GM, owners of Cadillac, are now begginning to ‘pull up their pants’, and start serious work on their electric vehicles, to try and ensure that they do not lose the race to release the first plug-in car.

It is not just GM that are begginning to pick up the pace on the release of their electric vehicles. Nissan and Mitsubishi are also trying their absolute hardest to release their vehicles sooner rather than later, although the technology, whilst it is relatively well known and advertised, is still in early stages. 

It looks like India will be the clear winners in this battle to beat the competitors to the market.

The planning team at Chevrolet do not seem to think it is a good idea for their brand new and slightly experimental electric car to be placed in public view as of yet. However, there is always some ’sneaky devil’, who manages to snap a shot of these things. The new car looks tastefully designed, but unfortunately that is just about all we know at the moment.

GM, owners of Chevy, are still trying to be the first American manufacturer to market a plug in hybrid electric car. This seems to be the closest step so far. The Volt seems to be just an updated version of their original hybrid of the same name, but with massive changes to the exterior design. The car is thought to feature in the latest blockbuster ‘Transformers 2, Revenge of the Fallen’. This is looking to be more fact than fiction as the car was ’snapped’ leaving the studio parking lot.

General Motors, the prestigious manufacturing company behind market giant Cadillac, is set to release it’s Volt electric car into the American market in the year 2010. The American firm is then going to rebadge it as an Opel, in the hope of taking over the European market for the greener car.

With America slightly lagging in the electric car race, this comes as good news to all members of the United States. This car could easily see America take the lead in the market in most countries, excluding the current Asian market leaders.

The minimum travel range for this car is going to be around 40 miles, and the battery life will be as much as ten years. This is a car that is built to last, and is one of the more attractive electric vehicles to go into production.

With funding running short, whichever industry one is involved with, it is obvious that the automotive industry is suffering slightly. GM is currently trying to lobby some important subsidieries from high ranking government officials, to aid the manufacture of the Volt.

Tokyo gets one step closer to popularising the common use of electric vehicles. As we know, electric cars in Tokyo out number electric vehicles across the rest of the world. Now some manufacturers in Tokyo are developing stations where people can recharge their electric cars, making them run up to 25 miles on just a five minute battery charge.

The company involved (TEPCO) has denied that they are going to set these stations up any time soon within the city, although they have completed trail projects, and the rsults look very promising. This could mean that Tokyo may eventually become the world’s first city to completely switch to the electric motor, exciting news for any environmentalist. It is thought, however, that the actual commisioning of such stations could take years, if not decades.

Car manufacturers that are currently stocking vehicles manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries have agreed to have these stations available at their stores, just as soon as the plans get the all clear. These will be located amongst the new electric vehicles to be manufactured and released by Mitsubishi, Subaru and Nissan.

This news comes as a breath of fresh air to almost everyone that is just a little bit caring of the environment. Is it a good idea? It’s a great idea, and good luck to them!