Electric Vehicles

If you think that you've spotted a strangely old-looking motorized bicycle cruising around the streets of Los Angeles, don't worry, you're not hallucinating. What you're likely seeing is one of two hand-built Juicer e-bike models - both of which harken back to the very early days of motorcycle development, when engines and motors were fixed to bicycle frames. The Juicer 36 is fashioned like a stretch cruiser and the 48 is an homage to the board-track era. Retro styling aside, the stand-out feature for us has got to be the gorgeous battery/motor configuration, that's been arranged like cylinders of a V-twin engine. Read More

The AMP Jeep Grand Cherokee, to be unveiled next week at the North American International Auto Show, is a 100 percent electric-drive vehicle with all the cargo space and utility of a true SUV. AMP trades out Jeep's V6/V8 powertrain for a combination of two Remi electric motors and a 37.6 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. Because the motors are direct drive, the electrified Grand Cherokee does not require a transmission. The motors combine for 152 kW (203 hp), and the model will travel about 80 to 100 miles (129 to 161 km) per charge. Read More

Earlier this week, Tesla announced the final pricing and options on its Model S sedan, which will hit the US market next summer. Unlike Tesla's first vehicle - the Roadster, the Model S is a practical family car that seats five or seven. It's also about half the price of the sporty, performance-oriented Roadster. Read More

Korea might be home to a couple of the world's biggest automakers in Hyundai and Kia but, with the exception of concept cars, it isn't until now that the country has launched an electric vehicle. Intended exclusively for the Korean market, the Kia Ray EV shares the same dimensions as the Ray CUV (crossover utility vehicle) that was launched last month, but instead of a 1.0-liter gasoline engine, the car is powered by a 50 kW electric motor and a 16.4 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack that gives it a range of up to 139 km (86 miles) on a single charge. Read More

Since its initial launch five years ago, the T3 Motion's stand-up electric three-wheeler has been snapped up by law enforcement, security and military concerns in nearly 30 countries. Shoppers who have looked on with envy as Mall security whizzes past in pursuit of a shoplifter can now rest easy. T3 Motion is responding to what it describes as pent up customer demand and will launch a consumer version called the T3 Power Sport. It won't come with the frightening fire power of the T3 Non-Lethal Response Vehicle, but it will have a top speed of 12 mph, a range of up to 40 miles and will be available in a range of colors and custom paint job or logo options. Read More

Inductive charging devices are already making their way into the home as a cable-free option to keep the batteries of everything from mice and keyboards to mobile phones and toothbrushes juiced up. The increasing availability of practical electric vehicles has also seen the technology attract the attention of those looking for for a cable-free way to charge EV batteries. German automakers are taking the opportunity to put inductive charging of EVs to a real-world test as part of the "Effizienzhaus-Plus mit Elektromobilität" project. Read More

Having taken a look at some highly desirable items that are highly unlikely to find their way under the tree this year with our 2011 list of things you CAN'T have this Christmas, it's time for a look at some of the gear that might represent more realistic shopping options this festive season. There's definitely some items on the list we wouldn't mind receiving ourselves, while others fall into the category of "for the person who has everything" ... either way, there's sure to be something for every technophile in the household. Read More

Australia has a new home-grown electric supercar. The recently announced Varley evR-540 is handbuilt around an aluminum monocoque chassis and powered by locally developed and engineered twin Carbon ironless core AC motors with Tritium Wavesculptor inverters claimed to be up to 95% efficient. The performance of this lightweight 2-seat mid-engine coupe is impressive - it's capable of accelerating from from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds and can reach a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph), which puts it in the same league as the Tesla Roadster). Read More

Back in August, we heard about a self-balancing prototype vehicle known as the Thrustcycle SRT. Utilizing a flywheel-based gyroscopic stabilizing system, the electric vehicle was able to remain upright on its three inline wheels, even when standing still. The flywheel also served as a kinetic energy recovery system, helping to extend the vehicle’s range by storing energy that would otherwise be lost when braking. Now, four months later, Thrustcycle Enterprises has contacted us with information about the latest version of the EV, and provided some video of it being driven around ... and getting the crap kicked out of it. Read More