Renault have teamed up with Planet Better Place, the world's leading electric vehicle service provider. The partnership is planning to market hundreds of thousands of electric cars annually by 2011 in Denmark and Isreal.

"Around 160,000 electric cars will be made available every year. I believe the (annual) sales will be in the tens of thousands," said Jens Moberg, the chief executive of Better Place Denmark, the Danish subsidiary of the transport company developing the lithium batteries fitted in the vehicles.

The car maker is developing three models: a sedan, a compact city car and a panel van. In Denmark, a car will cost up to 200,000 kroner (£23,080) to buy. Electric car drivers will also need to sign up for a monthly subscription with Better Place to get access to the batteries. "It will be like signing up for a mobile phone contract," said Moberg.

Drivers will be able to recharge the batteries at home, which would take several hours, or switch batteries at a swap station, taking 3-5 minutes — less than the time it takes to fill a petrol tank. In Denmark, 100 battery swap stations will be available around the country, progressively expanding in the following years. Drivers will also be able to top up their batteries at charge spots installed at car parks and on the streets. The city of Copenhagen is working on plans to install such spots, with between 50 and 60 charge spots to be made available by December.

Moberg said Better Place was in discussion with a number of other European countries, including France, about expanding the scheme further from Israel and Denmark.

Planet Better Place

GM's much anticipated Chevrolet Volt is expected to achieve a fuel economy of at least 230 miles per (US) gallon, based on a new fuel economy test for plug-in electric vehicles being developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Volt extended-range electric vehicle, which is scheduled to start production in late 2010, is expected to travel up to 40 miles on electricity from a single battery charge and be able to extend its overall range to more than 300 miles with its flex-fuel powered engine-generator.

Two types of hybrid drives exist - 'series hybrids' and 'parellel hybrids'. The Volt is a 'series hybrid' which uses a combustion engine to generate electricity and power an electric motor to provide motive power. In contrast, the wheels of a 'parallel hybrid' can be either directly powered by the engine or from a battery-powered electric drive-train. The Chevy Volt is part of the new generation of series hybrids that are moving towards purely electric cars.

The Chevrolet Volt uses grid electricity as its primary source of energy to propel the car. There are two modes of operation: Electric and Extended-Range. In electric mode, the Volt will not use gasoline or produce tailpipe emissions when driving. During this primary mode of operation, the Volt is powered by electrical energy stored in its 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

When the battery reaches a minimum state of charge, the Volt automatically switches to Extended-Range mode. In this secondary mode of operation, an engine-generator produces electricity to power the vehicle. The energy stored in the battery supplements the engine-generator when additional power is needed during heavy accelerations or on steep inclines.

"From the data we've seen, many Chevy Volt drivers may be able to be in pure electric mode on a daily basis without having to use any gas," said GM Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson. "EPA labels are a yardstick for customers to compare the fuel efficiency of vehicles. So, a vehicle like the Volt that achieves a composite triple-digit fuel economy is a game-changer... The key to high-mileage performance is for a Volt driver to plug into the electric grid at least once each day," Henderson said."

Based on the results of unofficial development testing of pre-production prototypes, the Volt has achieved 40 miles of electric-only, petroleum-free driving in both EPA city and highway test cycles. For the nearly eight of 10 Americans who commute fewer than 40 miles a day (http://tinyurl.com/U-S-DOTStudy), running on EV power is a real option. However, Volt drivers' actual gas-free mileage will vary depending on how far they travel and other factors, such as how much cargo or how many passengers they carry and how much the air conditioner or other accessories are used.

Under the new methodology being developed, EPA weighs plug-in electric vehicles as traveling more city miles than highway miles on only electricity. The EPA methodology uses kilowatt hours per 100 miles traveled to define the electrical efficiency of plug-ins. Applying EPA's methodology, GM expects the Volt to consume as little as 25 kilowatt hours per 100 miles in city driving. At the U.S. average cost of electricity, a typical Volt driver would pay about $2.75 (£1.70) for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents (2p) per mile.

"The 230 city mpg number is a great indication of the capabilities of the Volt's electric propulsion system and its ability to displace gasoline," said Frank Weber, global vehicle line executive for the Volt. "Actual testing with production vehicles will occur next year closer to vehicle launch. However, we are very encouraged by this development, and we also think that it is important to continue to share our findings in real time, as we have with other aspects of the Volt's development."

For more information: www.chevrolet.com/volt

As electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, Project Get Ready is calling for the US government to start building the infrastructure and recharge points that cities will require for future sustainable mobility.

However, there are many issues to take into account when plans for new infrastructure are developed. This is where Project Get Ready comes in – a new initiative to help the US shift away from fossil fuel usage and develop recharge points for electric and hybrid vehicles. The non-profit scheme led by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is preparing cities for the introduction of plug-in hybrids. They believe that the best way for the nation to get ready is "for pioneering communities to get ready, developing new systems that suit local needs, while maintaining communication and coordination between communities.

According to the US Department of Energy, there are 452 electric recharge points in the USA with a massive 406 in the state of California. This leaves 36 states with no recharge points and all others with 10 or less. It is evident that the USA needs to start addressing this issue and building more recharge points for a connected infrastructure.

California's success is partly due to the Pavley regulation adopted by the California Air Resource Board. The Board took the action to achieve the maximum feasible and cost effective reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. When fully phased in, the standards are predicted to result in about a 22% reduction in CO2-equivalent emissions compared to 2002, with a 30% reduction by 2016. Friends of the Earth hope that "California's success in reshaping its transportation policies will resonate nationwide, and potentially worldwide, as other states and nations follow California's lead"

According to Project Get Ready, there are a number of '15 must have actions' that need to be taken in order for cities to become plug-in pioneers. Included in the list of are for corporate/city/state fleets committing to buying a certain number of plug-ins (suggested target 180), working with banks and dealers to offer low-interest loans for plug-ins, reduced (or free) electricity rates for charging, and ensuring new and reconstruction/renovation building codes support the operation of plug-ins. There is also a list of '10 nice to have actions' including investing in technical education, providing direct cash incentives to consumers and to foster early roll-outs in taxi fleets and rental cars.

The lists of 'must have' and 'nice to have' actions developed by Project Get Ready are all part of the way the initiative tries to help to combat any problems or issues that arise when developing recharge infrastructure. The Project Get Ready website provides users with a searchable database containing 'pain points' city leaders may face, solution strategies to overcome those barriers and specific implementation tools needed to take action.

The Project Get Ready partner cities already include Colorado, Houston, North Carolina, Toronto and Indiana where the plans to build electric recharge points have really taken off. For example, the City of Houston will begin to install approximately 100 charging stations around the town at city owned facilities such as libraries, parks and sport venues.

Project Get Ready has also been working with big auto manufacturers, but also, excitingly, with new car companies as well, such as Bright Automotive and Tesla Motors, to improve the availability of cars on the market.

For more information see www.projectgetready.com, US Department of Energy

Nissan today unveiled the Nissan LEAF, the world's first zero-emission C-segment (small family) car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback that comfortably seats five adults and has a range of more than 160km (100 miles) to satisfy consumer requirements.

Nissan LEAF is powered by laminated compact lithium-ion batteries, which generate power output of over 90kW, while its electric motor delivers 80kW/280Nm. This ensures a highly responsive, fun-to-drive experience that is in keeping with what consumers have come to expect from traditional, gasoline-powered automobiles.

Nissan LEAF can be charged up to 80% of its full capacity in just under 30 minutes with a quick charger. Charging at home through a 200V outlet is estimated to take approximately 8 hours - ample time to enable an overnight refresh for consumer and car alike.

Key characteristics of the LEAF include zero-emission power train and platform, affordable pricing, distinctive design, 160km (100 miles) range and connected mobility - advanced intelligent transportation (IT) system.

"Nissan LEAF is a tremendous accomplishment - one in which all Nissan employees can take great pride," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. "We have been working tirelessly to make this day a reality - the unveiling of a real-world car that has zero - not simply reduced - emissions. It's the first step in what is sure to be an exciting journey - for people all over the world, for Nissan and for the industry."

The "LEAF" name is a significant statement about the car itself. Just as leaves purify the air in nature, so Nissan LEAF purifies mobility by taking emissions out of the driving experience. The Nissan LEAF is expected to qualify for an array of significant local, regional and national tax breaks and incentives in markets around the world. As an added benefit, because the vehicle has less mechanical complexity than a traditional gasoline-powered car, Nissan LEAF is designed to be friendly to the wallet as well as to the environment.

It is slated for launch in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe. Pricing details will be announced closer to start of sales; however, the company expects the car to be competitively priced in the range of a well-equipped C-segment vehicle.

For more information please see http://www.nissan-zeroemission.com

Newspress