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The Lightning GT is a high-end ultraluxury electric car which first debuted in 2008 and is slated to go into production in Spring 2010. The $240,000 vehicle is powered by four 120 kw motors and a 36 kwh lithium-ion battery that allows it to produce a jaw-dropping 700 hp. The car would go form 0 to 60 in 4 seconds and has a top speed limited to 130 mph. Though not yet in production, the British company already deposits for the car and has plans for two more cars in the future according to its chairman Ian Sanderson. "A limo-sized model is planned, as we think a high-end chauffeur-driven car with electric power would work well for executives traveling around cities," he said. "We are then looking at possibilities for an SUV and a smaller sportscar." Rightly though Sanderson continues to focus his company on meeting the GT's production date. "These (cars) are some way off because we want to concentrate on the Lightning GT, but the plan is that all the derivatives will use the GT's powertrain, meaning we can roll them out quickly when we are ready." Source (Autocar)

BMW recently began leasing the electric MINI to consumers in select areas of the US. The program entailed an application period of nearly 8 months and a detailed selection process that lands the electric car in the hands of a few select individuals. At nearly $850 a month, it's far from cheap. But the program is only considered a trial because the cars will be returned to BMW at the end of one year for evaluation. With the MINI E in the publics hands all is well, right?  Not so says plug-in advocacy group  Plug in America. They feel BMW may be exploiting a loophole in California's CARB program requiring automakers to produce zero emission vehicles.  According to the group, BMW has designed the leasing program to allow them the receive maximum credit for the minimum amount of effort. BMW will receive certain exemptions, grants, etc... for putting the MINI E in the public space, but the vehicle is not even considered a production ready product. It is called a prototype by the company and does not have widespread distribution or sales volume. Further compounding the issue, MINI sent several vehicles to municipal services at the low lease rate of only $10 a month. According to Plug in America BMW began, "dumping dozens of cars into municipal fleets to be leased for only $10 a month, most recently pulling some of those vehicles from retail consumers who had been willing to pay full price and complied with the nearly 8-month process required to get one of the cars." BMW receives Zero Emission Vehicle credits for the one year lease program of the prototype vehicle. In fact, the receive just as many credits as they would if the vehicle was actually a true production product. According to Plug in America, the lease-only paradigm is exactly what crushed the EV back in late 90s. Back then, automakers rushed EV leases to market, but the boom quickly turned to a bust and we certainly don't want the same result again. PIA wants BMW and all other automakers to only receive credits for vehicles that are offered for retail sales. CARB has announced that they will look into the loophole next year and as they said, "we've urged BMW to consider extending that one-year lease." We feel sorry for those that waited 8-months to see their Mini E go at discounted rates to fleets, but automakers typically will look to capture all incentives possible and can't really be blamed for exploiting an existing loophole. Legislation needs to catch up to assure success of EVs and to force manufacturers to offer true production EVs for sale to the public. Source: Plug in America Press Release PLUG IN AMERICA URGES CALIF. REGULATORS TO CLOSE DAMAGING LOOPHOLE CARB Loophole, Allowing BMW to Lease its Mini E, Could Stunt EV Proliferation Plug In America is urging Mary Nichols, chief of California's air board, to close a gaping loophole that could deal a blow to the proliferation of plug-in vehicles just as the federal government is awarding billions of dollars to automakers large and small to advance battery technology. The California Air Resources Board's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program has no minimum timeframe for vehicles used for compliance. Therefore, BMW's one-year pilot program consisting of just 500 converted electric Mini Coopers leased at an astonishing $850 per month will earn the same full credit as a standard vehicle production program. "CARB is allowing BMW to game the system by accruing the maximum number of ZEV credits with the least amount of effort," says Plug In America legislative director Jay Friedland. Previous lease-only programs led to the crushing by automakers of thousands of vehicles in the 1990s, Friedland notes. "We encourage pilot programs, which get cars on the road and enable valuable early feedback, but in order to receive full credit, these vehicles must be offered for sale," he says. The ZEV program loophole, which Plug In America denounced before a critical 2008 air board vote, extends through 2011. "CARB had plenty of time to see this coming," Friedland says. "BMW is not the first automaker to take advantage of the loophole, but it should be the last. Consumers should have full access to the fuel efficient cars they are demanding." Adds Plug In America advisory board member Chelsea Sexton: "This is turning out to be a half-baked, poorly executed program by BMW, who is acting solely for the sake of regulatory compliance. Shame on CARB for allowing it." BMW's poor planning has caused a host of problems. The first Mini Es were delivered in late May, some six months after BMW's stated delivery date. This delay caused a large percentage of people to drop out of the program. Furthermore, BMW did not have enough proper charging cables manufactured, leaving up to 300 lessees with a minimum 23-hour recharging time. As a result, many drivers are not able to use the vehicle daily. Meanwhile, in order to meet today's(6/30) deadline for maximum CARB credit, BMW has been dumping dozens of cars into municipal fleets to be leased for only $10 a month, most recently pulling some of those vehicles from retail consumers who had been willing to pay full price and complied with the nearly 8-month process required to get one of the cars. "We're concerned that this situation won't be seen for what it is-a botched BMW program," Sexton says. "Instead, plug-in vehicles will be perceived as too expensive, problematic and not ready for prime time. BMW's mistakes reflect badly on other car companies, on the technology itself and on the plug-in vehicle movement." Santa Monica resident Jeff U'Ren is one customer who was dropped from the program, without explanation, the night before he was to take delivery of his Mini E. "I longed to drive a high performance EV again," says U'Ren, a former GM EV1 driver. "Just having that car on the road is such an important tool to show that EV technology is viable. People continue to think it's way too expensive and impractical." In contrast to BMW's lease plan, Nissan has announced a late 2010 delivery of 5,000 all-electric vehicles designed from the ground up and offered for sale for between $25,000 and $33,000, before federal tax credits. The Japanese auto company, recently awarded a $1.6-billion loan from the U.S. Dept. of Energy to build a battery plant and modify its existing Tennessee facilities, has also announced that it will deliver hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles in 2012. The Dept. of Energy also awarded $465-million and $5.9-billion loans to Tesla Motors and Ford, respectively, to make electric and other fuel efficient vehicles. About Plug In America: Plug In America is leading the nation's plug-in vehicle movement. The nonprofit organization works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation's dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. For more information: http://www.pluginamerica.org.

Over in Europe, utility companies, automakers, and countless others are working diligently to come up with a global standard for EV charging plugs. The discussions have been ongoing for nearly a decade now, but a final decision is expected within the next year. Automakers, charging system designers, and utilities companies realize the tremendous need to develop a single charging cord that is standardized across all EVs.  To that end, they have formed several groups that have been working hard towards the goal.  The groups include the Joint Automotive and Electric Utility Workgroup for an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and the International Electrotechnical Commision. The main focus of the two groups is to come up with an acceptable universal, standardized charging cord for EVs and plug-in hybrids.  There are several proposed designs for consideration at this point, but any design must meet the following criteria listed below, a consensus reached by several automakers last November. One plug must be capable of charging at any AC voltage level and current level worldwide.  It must be compatible with single and 3-phase electric grids.  It must be able to handle up to 500 volt ands 70 amps.  It has to be a low cost, durable design capable of withstanding the rigors of continuous outdoor use.  It must have more than one, redundant safety features to protect the user, and it must lock in place to prevent tampering and theft.  Finally, the cable must be compatible with data and communication between the vehicle and the electrical grid. Certainly a lot of thought must go into a universal charging cable.  All of the requirements can be met, but many of the requirements increase the cost of the cable which is the one requirement that is problematic for designers of a universal cable. With EVs coming to market in greater numbers now, the design of the standardized charging cable if more important than ever.  The end goal, is to design a cable to will not only work with existing EVs and those expected within the next few year, but also to come up with a design that will still be acceptable 20 or more years from today.  Forward thinking is important and they have to get it right. Source:  Wards Auto  (Login Required)

According to the French research organization IFP, making lithium-ion powered hybrids makes economic sense right now for both the carmaker and the buyer. The research company came to this conclusion after extensively researching a true cost of ownership over the lifetime of a vehicle.  Their comparisons show that lithium-ion plug-in hybrids do not cost significantly more over the entire life of the vehicle. For the comparison, they pitted a compact diesel against a 16 mile electric only range plug-in hybrid.  The diesel came in at $21,500 to purchase.  Adding the cost of fuel and maintenance over the 124,000 mile life of the vehicle would result in a total out of pocket expense of $41,523. The plug-in they choose is a hypothetical vehicle that achieves a 16 mile electric only range before using gasoline.  The battery pack for this vehicle adds $8,591 in up front costs to bring the purchase price to $30,091.  The fuel (some of which is electricity) and maintenance costs bring the total out of pocket expense for the life of the vehicle to $42,953. The difference in costs for the two vehicles is a paltry $1,430.  Quite insignificant when spread out over say 10 years, adding an additional expense of only $143 per year. Maybe automakers will take notice and move production schedules up for plug-in vehicles.  If car buyers are aware of the true ownership costs, they may be more willing to spend additional money up front. Source:  Wards Auto (Login Required)

It's a Jeep! It's a golf cart! No! It's an Anvil? The Georgia based Tomberlin Group showcased their electric low speed vehicle (LSV) on the CBS Early Show on Monday and it looks nothing like anything else on the road today. Dubbed the "Anvil," it has a top speed of 25 miles per hour and is legal for any roads in the U.S. with posted speed limits at or below 35 mph. CEO, Mike Tomberlin, presented his company's creation with pride, noting that the Anvil can be driven legally on 68% of the roads in America. His national television appearance also gave him the opportunity to publicly ask Congress for legislation promoting a "class of commuter oriented vehicles." Tomberlin says the Anvil was specifically designed for the short, local trips, under seven miles, which account for 15 billion total miles traveled in the U.S. every year. The $16,000 Anvil uses a 50 horsepower electric motor and can go about 40 miles on a charge.  It stores power in six 12-volt batteries and there's an onboard charger that plugs into a standard wall socket. It comes complete with dual-setting heated front seats and an MP3, CD, AM/FM stereo system. Production is underway and deliveries will begin later this year. Coming soon to a badass in a retirement community near you. Watch CBS Videos Online Sources: Dealer News Blog, Tomberlin, CBS Early Show

Tesla Motors has asked the courts of San Mateo County, California to dismiss the lawsuit filed against them by co-founder and former CEO, Martin Eberhard. Eberhard sued Tesla on May 26 for libel, slander and breach of contract. Tesla's response was characteristic of their current CEO, Elon Musk. The motion filed on Monday neither shies away from controversy nor sugarcoats what has become a saga worthy of a Dr. Phil episode. The electric car company says that Eberhard's lawsuit is "baseless" calling it, "...nothing more than an attempt to curb open discourse on matters of importance to the public and to extract money from Tesla in the bargain."  And just in case you thought it wasn't personal, Tesla goes on to say that, "[Eberhard] also takes the extraordinary (and hypocritical) step of seeking an injunction that would prevent Musk from exercising his free speech rights in public or private." In an email to Inside Line, Tesla spokesperson, Rachel Konrad, said that Eberhard's lawsuit, "...is a personal attack full of false statements and it paints a fictitious picture of Tesla's history that is sharply at odds with the truth." This may require an octagonal cage at Mandalay Bay before it's over. Source: Inside Line

  Unfortunately for Honda, its new low-priced mild hybrid Insight does not seem to be making any headway against the Toyota Prius. Honda launched the car in April with great anticipation that its lower price point would add value to the hybrid proposition positioning it to dent the Prius market. Toyota, however, launched its 3rd generation Prius with multiple option levels starting at $$22,750, quite close to the higher end Insight EX which actually tops out at $23,750. The Toyota uses a strong hybrid drivetrain that allows it 50 mpg average, considerably more than the Insights 41 MPG, even though it has a 1.8L engine compared to the Insight's 1.3L. Total HP in the Insight is 150 vs 98 in the Insight. Reviewers have also come out considerably negative against the Insight including benchmark Consumer Reports who found it "the most disappointing Honda Consumer Reports has tested in a long time." It looks like consumers aren't biting either. In the month of June Honda posted 2079 Insight sales whereas the Prius (old and new) garnered a rather robust 12,900 units sold, over 6 times more. Honda actually sold 2780 Insights in May. Honda had been hoping for 100,000 in US sales. At this pace they would only sell 24,000 in a year.