Spanish Electric Bicycle Has Custom Cruiser Look

It's telling that some of the most exciting transport designs these days can be found in one of thefastest-growing sectors: electric bicycles.We've covered several electric bicycles on Green Car Reports in the past and the vast majority are veritable works of art--whether retro-inspired or futuristic and modern, designers really are pushing the boundaries of the humble electric bicycle.Taking the former, retro stance is Otocycles in Spain, whose electric bikes (spotted via Retro To Go) look like custom cruisers.Still, it only takes a quick glance for the illusion to be shattered. Where normally you'd expect to find a thumping V-twin engine in the frame, the Otocycles Otor and Otok give you a great deal of nothing. Well, a set of pedals at least, but if there's one criticism of the designs it's that they look more "unfinished motorcycle" than electric bicycle.It's much greener as a result, though.That retro-style fuel tank hides the bike's lithium battery pack, made by Samsung and rated at 36V and 10.4 amps.On the rear axle there's a 250-watt motor, or about a third of a horsepower--enough to propel the bike to 15.5 mph. Opt for a motor with double the power and that rises to 26 mph, while an extra twist-grip throttle system lets you control the thrust when you aren't pedaling yourself.Read Full Article

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All-Electric SRT Viper :-Battery-Powered Supercar On Sale

With hybrid supercars starting to appear at last--the Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1 among them--many electric-car fans wonder when we'll see another battery-electric supercar to follow the Tesla Roadster.One already exists, it turns out--and we didn't even notice.You can literally put a plug-in electric SRT Viper in your garage today if you want to.All you need to do is head to your local Target store and plunk down $109 (discounted for the holidays, regularly $179.99), and you can walk out with a plug-in electric SRT Viper.And for those worried about long-term battery life, you can even purchase an extended warranty--Target calls it a 2-year replacement plan--for an additional $17.There are a couple of differences from the gasoline Viper, though.For one thing, this one only has room for the driver. It's only 42 inches long, and the top speed is 2.5 mph. Also, it's sold under the KidTrax brand.The plug-in electric SRT Viper doesn't skimp on features, as it's based on the GTS trim.That means it includes LED daytime running lights, race-inspired wheels, deep bucket seats, reflective mirrors, and even a cup holder.The dashboard looks quite similar to what you'd find in the genuine Viper in SRT showrooms, and there's a racing-style flat-bottom steering wheel.The plug-in electric SRT Viper is no slouch when it comes to performance. Like other electric vehicles, you'll feel the surge of instant torque from 0 rpm as you accelerate off the line.Its 6-volt battery pack powers the rear wheels through a two-speed gearbox that includes reverse. Power Trax rubber traction strip tires will keep you on the road.Just like the Tesla Roadster, the SRT Viper uses a proprietary charging plug with a one-step direct-connect charging system.For more details on the world's only plug-in electric SRT Viper, head over to Target.com.

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Lighting A Christmas Tree The Modern Way

Should you be one of those people among our readers who celebrates the Christmas holiday,you might be interested in having a greener Christmas.
Did you know, for example, that it's greener to have a real Christmas tree than a plastic one, unless you keep the plastic tree many years? The real ones are more carbon neutral, you see. And they do smell rather lovely too.
But how will you light it? Nissan in Japan has thought of a novel idea--a Leaf-powered Christmas tree.
Okay, so it might not be practical for everyone, but it does work rather well in this particular Japanese shopping mall, Futako Tamagawa Rise in Tokyo. Modern LED Christmas lights use very little power, so the Leaf's battery should be more than enough to power the tree for quite some time.
If you chose to use a similar system in your home, the Leaf would work as a great energy storage system for electricity you've generated using solar power, for example, or simply low-cost energy you've accumulated during off-peak times.For Video Visit

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2014 Electric Motorcycles: Buyer's Guide

Electric motorcycles are now ready for primetime, and this year's selection shows that the pace of development is quick. This buyer's guide focuses on street-legal, highway-ready motorcycles. 

There are many two-wheeled electric vehicles out there that are more properly considered scooters or dirt bikes, but this guide covers only motorcycles (plus a scooter or two) that are safe to use on all highways.Bikes are categorized by whether they can be bought now, or have be ordered ahead of time. My experience after covering the industry for several years is that nailing down a delivery date for motorcycles that haven't yet been built is challenging.

If you look online, some of the projections seem a bit inflated for some of the Pre-Order motorcycles; we'll see how they perform when deliveries start.

Zero Motorcycles and Brammo were the first two companies to put their money where their mouths were and put bikes into consumer hands. Vectrix also has bikes on the ground from 2007-8, though they are more of a maxi-scooter--but they're included because they can legally travel on highways. 

I have ridden all the Zero and Brammo offerings as well as the original Vectrix VX-1.  (The original VX-1 had a nickel-metal-hydride battery, but it will soon sport a lighter, more durable, and longer-range lithium-ion battery.)Electric motorcycles with ranges of 100 miles or more have been available to the average consumer since 2012; each year they get faster and go farther. Reviews from traditional motorcycle-news sources have become more favorable with each passing month, and it truly seems as if electric motorcycles are ready to go mainstream.

While rumors of other electric motorcycles have sprouted periodically, so far there are no production models for sale--they require pre-ordering.Companies like Lightning Motorcycles, Electric Motorsport, Lito Sora Electric Motorcycle, Evolve motorcycles, MotoCzysz, Mavizen, and Orphiro are among those from whom we're still waiting to see product delivered. 

I had hoped Vectrix would have its new Lithium powered VX-1 available to test for this guide, but only the low-speed VX-2 electric scooter is available today. 

As for the Pre-Order category of bikes: Don't get your hopes up. If history teaches us anything, waiting for an electric motorcycle from a brand-new startup company is a long lesson in patience.  Read Full Article

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2015 Ford F-150 Gas Mileage

The Ford F-150 full-size pickup is the best-selling single nameplate in the U.S. market, so any changes to Ford's premier truck mean a lot.

Buyers, dealers, and the whole industry are paying close attention to information about the next generation 2015 Ford F-150, the first all-new design of Ford's truck since the 2009 model.And fuel efficiency will be one of the most closely-watched specifications.This year, the new best combined gas-mileage for large pickup trucks is 20 mpg--achieved by versions of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado C15 and the 2014 Ram 1500.While Ford lags behind, at 18 mpg combined, it's clear the company will want to meet--and more likely beat--the 20-mpg figure, targeting a combined gas-mileage rating for the best model of its new 2015 F-150 to 21 mpg or higher, possibly as high as 23 mpg.

The company is known to be using much more aluminum in the next F-150, though recent rumors say quality problems in getting acceptable panel quality could delay the new F-150's production launchfrom six to 10 weeks.

Thus far, there's been no indication that Ford plans to debut the new F-150 pickup truck at the next Detroit Auto Show, which opens to the press three weeks from today.That could depend on whether Ford can get the alleged problems resolved and keep the truck on track for a summer launch.

Reducing drag

Other likely fuel-saving technologies include active grille shutters (already used on the current Ram pickup), retractable running boards, and a front air dam that can be extended at speed to reduce aerodynamic drag.Last January, Ford showed these features plus an additional innovation--active wheel shutters--on the Ford Atlas Concept pickup truck, its main concept vehicle at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.Read More

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U.S. Drivers Ready For Electric Cars

When Chevrolet was engineering the Volt range-extended electric car, it gave the car a battery just big enough for 40-50 miles of electric range.

GM did this because it reasoned that this electric range would be most effective for most drivers--covering the average commute on electricity alone. That two thirds of Volt miles are all-electric proves the concept works.Now, another survey has emerged confirming that the average electric car really can meet the needs of the average American consumer--they just don't realize it yet.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has found that 42 percent of American households with a vehicle could do their driving using one of the electric cars on sale today.
The UCS figures come from a Venn diagram based on three simple attributes of the average driver and electric car requirements: That of a space to park and plug in, enough seats for passengers, and lack of hauling needs requiring a bigger, beefier vehicle.56 percent of U.S. households apparently have access to charging. A full 95 percent of U.S. drivers carry fewer than four passengers--a number most electric cars happily carry--and 79 percent of U.S. drivers have no hauling needs, ruling out the need for a big SUV or pickup.
Those numbers lead to the 42 percent figure--households that could be happily served by the average electric car on sale today.In fact, with 69 percent of U.S. drivers covering fewer than 60 miles per day, most electric cars could easily cope with day's driving. Even the Mitsubishi i-MiEV with its 62-mile range covers that metric, though most would be happier with the 75 miles-and-up offered by cars like the Nissan Leaf or the 82 miles of a Chevy Spark EV.For Details

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India's Most Modern Electric Car

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In just three years or so, the number of plug-in cars on U.S. roads has gone from just a few thousandto over 160,000 units, with over a dozen different models available to consumers.

In India though, electric car sales are much smaller--despite a population of over 1.2 billion. And just one single electric car model is on sale right now to Indian consumers--the Mahindra Reva e2o.

It may be some time before we get a go in an e2o ourselves. But thanks to the wonders of the internet, and The Indian Express, we can get an idea of what India's sole electric car is like to drive.

First, a little background.

Mahindra was formed in 1945 and is now one of India's biggest automobile manufacturers, largely concentrating on a range of off-road vehicles and SUVs that look suspiciously similar to some vehicles sold in the West.

The company also owns the Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Private Limited company, responsible for the Mahindra e2o you see here.

It's best known for the REVAi, a tiny electric car best known (and much maligned) in some markets as the G-Wiz. The e2o is its substantially more modern and better-styled replacement--though we suspect the narrow, upright styling will still be an acquired taste for some readers.

If you think you've seen it before, you're right--the car was previously known as the REVA NXR, but is now sold under the Mahindra brand name.

For the journalist on The Indian Express, that it's electric at all is a unique experience--remember the first time you drove an electric car yourself?

That means comment is largely reserved for well-known electric car benefits, such as the smooth, silent drivetrain, an initially brisk step-off and gradual paucity of power as the speed rises.

Handling is also good, one assumes in relation to its closest gasoline competition--cars like the Tata Nano and Maruti Suzuki Alto--thanks to the low placement of the battery pack.

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