AutoblogGreen

Tesla Motors held the grand opening of its Northern California dealership in Menlo Park Saturday evening. A slew of valet parkers greeted. Then, I walked down the red carpet past an orange Tesla Roadster to the large showroom. Beyond the gazpacho cocktails and first of three full bars one entered the even larger service area where the Elon Musk and Ze'ev Drori mingled among the hundred or so invited guests.

Conversation with various Tesla personnel revealed that founder Martin Eberhard received his repaired Roadster earlier in the day. Presumably his blog will shortly contain his first impressions. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, I was told, will be delivered his Roadster within a few weeks, although the color remains top secret. Once he and the state's First Lady Maria Shriver spend some time driving this powerful and impressive electric car one can only hope state policies will begin to reflect the near-term role that plug-in cars can play in carbon and petroleum reduction.

The Japan EV Club drove a Mitsubishi i MiEV and a Subaru R1e from Tokyo to Hokkaido in the week before the G8 summit, for their "Challenge and Charge" event. Now they are sharing stats about the cars' electrical consumption and CO2 emissions and comparing them to a (presumably) typical Japanese gasoline car.

The poster in the photo summarizes the EV stats for the entire trip of 858.7 km ( = 533.57 miles):

* 85.65 kWh used
* 35.12 kg CO2 to produce the electricity ( = 77.43 lbs.)
* Fuel cost: 1,713 yen ( = $16.94)

In comparison, on the bottom of the poster are a gasoline car's stats:

* 75.3 liters used ( = 19.89 gallons)
* 174.6 kg CO2 produced by the ICE ( = 384.93 lbs.)
* Fuel cost: 12,956 yen ( = $121.34)

Thanks to Yanquetino for the tip, translation, everything.
[Source: Japan EV Club]

Halfway through Al Gore's challenge today calling for a 100% renewable electric grid within ten years is a call for plug-in electric cars. This represents a big change in his thinking, and will hopefully quickly push political and environmental leadership to coalesce around policies to push plug-in cars into the market as quickly as possible. The unfounded fear that large numbers of plug-in cars will overwhelm the grid and increase the use of coal and reinvigorate the nuclear industry to produce electricity has kept major environmental organizations from looking at plug-in cars with clear and objective eyes.

"We could further increase the value and efficiency of a Unified National Grid by helping our struggling auto giants switch to the manufacture of plug-in electric cars. An electric vehicle fleet would sharply reduce the cost of driving a car, reduce pollution, and increase the flexibility of our electricity grid."

[Source: NY Times]

Plug In America, a California-based nonprofit organization that advocates the use plug-in cars, has taken note of our crossing the threshold of a $4 per gallon national average for gasoline prices. The group, originally organized to fight the crushing of the electric cars produced to meet California's Zero Emission Mandate of the 1990s, has become a major player in the push for vehicle electrification. After a partially successful attempt to strengthen the California regulations - the revised Mandate now calls for more plug-in hybrids but fewer electric cars - they are calling on consumers to exercise their power. Linda Nichols, president of the organization, says "Call Toyota, call GM, call Ford, call them all and tell them that you won't buy another car until it can be plugged in and charged with electricity." A number of auto makers, including GM and Nissan, have announced plug-in cars in the 2010-2012 time frame. Full press release after the jump. [Full disclosure: I am on the Board of Plug In America]

Another RAV4 EV is up on eBay. The last time one of these rare fully electric cars was put up on the auction block it sold for nearly $70,000. It was a 2002 with less than 50,000 miles on it. This time it's a 2003 model. The 2003 was stripped of a few perks. No heated front seats, and no heated front windshield for defrosting. But the battery was said to be improved for the last model year the car was made. And the car being sold has shown its chops; it already has over 125,000 miles on the original battery pack. The seller says the car still gets 100 miles per charge. The seller's thorough report makes some interesting reading about electric cars and service. One example: the car, which utilizes regenerative braking, is still on its first set of brake pads.

[Source: eBay]

On a local radio show, Hawaii's Governor Linda Lingle said the state is in discussions with Project Better Place. The California-based startup, in partnership with Renault, has already announced its intention to bring electric cars to Israel and Denmark. A little over one week ago ABG reported on San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's interest entrepeneur Shai Agassi's project.

Raising Islands, a Hawaiian blog on science and environment, reports the Governor saying "We are also in discussions with the same organization. It's to create a society where you don't need to use oil or gasoline." The Hawaiian islands would seem a logical location for electric cars, given the islands' natural limitation on long distance driving and potential for abundant wind and solar electricity. Thanks to Simon for the tip.

[Source:Raising Islands]

Many have seen the film "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and become angry about a previously untold tale and frustrated by the lack of electric cars in the market. 14-year-old Liza Stoner of Minneapolis saw the film and decided to do something to carry its message further. This summer she will pedal from her home to Washington DC to deliver a petition calling on Congress to take action.

Her ride is supported by the Fellowship for Renewal, a group that "supports youth led initiatives and young activists who aim to inspire a call to action by creating awareness and understanding of environmental and social injustices through extraordinary physical endeavors." Calling her effort the "Ride for Renewal," she could use your signature. The petition is online at at ipetitions here. More information about the ride is at rideforrenewal.org.

[Source: Ride for Renewal]

As ABG readers know, car makers large and small are considering electric cars once again. With gasoline hovering around $4 a gallon, greenhouse gas emissions soon to be regulated and national security jeopardized by petroleum, the need for electric cars has never been so obvious. But if you want a full-function, highway-capable 100+ mile range EV now, the options are few and far between. And pricey. The choice today is order a Tesla and wait a year, or wait for a used RAV4 EV to hit the market. It doesn't happen often, but now a Toyota-built, all-electric RAV4 EV is for sale on eBay, here.

One of fewer than 400 RAV4 EVs in private hands, this one is in San Francisco. It has under 50,000 miles on the batteries. While automakers today look to lithium batteries to power their next-generation electric cars, the NiMH batteries in these ZEV mandate era vehicles are proving to be strong, stable, and long-lasting, exceeding Toyota's expectations. A number of these cars have driven over 100,000 miles on the original batteries, and they still deliver a 100-mile range. You might be tempted to ask why we don't have NiMH cars on the market while lighter, longer range lithium is developed. To remain sane, let's just say the car makers learned the lesson of the laptop. We all regret the heavy NiMH laptops of the 90s, with their short battery life and long recharge time.

[Source: eBay]

The Daily Times of Pakistan reports that the Canadian manufacturer of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles Dynasty Electric Car Corporation has been sold to Pakistani automaker Karakoram Motors. Dynasty General Manager Danny Epp told Canadian Broadcasting that limitations on the use of NEVs on Canadian roads along with the strong Canadian dollar contributed to the decision by the owner to sell the company. Dynasty has been manufacturing thirty to forty vehicles per year. Karakoram Motors assembles and markets light duty trucks in Pakistan.

[Source: Daily Times of Pakistan]

Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman and Volt booster, told Edmunds AutoObserver today that the Volt is achieving its 40 mile all-electric target in initial on-road testing. "It is reliably meeting its objectives," Lutz confirmed. "Even with a rough calibration, even with the wrong drive unit, the wrong body, etc. etc., it has been hitting its 40 miles on electric power."

There was no word on which of the two battery suppliers' products was installed in these first drives on GM's proving grounds in Michigan. He did say the Volt's Battery Management System was successfully keeping temperature rises to a minimum and maintaining even heat distribution across the cells.

Lutz ever more enthusiastically says the Volt will debut for sale in Chevy showrooms in November 2010. And he went out of his way to underscore Chairman Rick Wagoner's interest and support for the Volt project.

[Source: Edmunds AutoObserver]