Fisker Automotive Buys GM Plant

Irvine-based Fisker Automotive , a venture backed startup developing electric vehicles, said today that it has acquired a dormant GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware, to build its plug-in hybrid cars. According to Fisker, the new plant will support the firm's Project NINA, affordable plug-in hybrid sedan. Fisker said production is scheduled to begin on the new car in late 2012, and will support 2,000 factory jobs and more than 3,000 vendor and supplier jobs by 2014. Fisker said it will pay $18M to

China’s Kandi Technologies (KNDI) Gets US Tax Credit Approval For COCO Electric Car

China electric car manufacturer Kandi Technologies (KNDI) is announcing this morning that the US Dept of Treasury has approved its low speed, convertible electric vehicle for meeting the requirements of a Qualified Plug-In Electric Vehicles which gives purchasers of the vehicle a tax credit of $4,434. It should be noted that this is only valid for this year, but the company is confident the certification will be extended to next year. Said the CEO, “While these certifications are valid only

The Silent Killer Of Hybrid Cars

SCARE story of the day comes from the New York Times , wherein the threat of killer electric cars is highlighted: Safety experts, worried that hybrids pose a threat if pedestrians, children and others can’t hear them approaching, want automakers to supply some digitally enhanced vroom . Indeed, just as cellphones have ring tones, “car tones” may not be far behind — an option for owners of electric vehicles to choose the sound their cars emit. Maybe the driver can wind down the window

Advanced Battery Tech (ABAT) Gets $8.7 Million Lithium Battery Order

Advanced Battery Tech (ABAT) announced this morning it has signed an $8.7 million polymer lithium-ion phosphate battery contract with U Long Run Sheng Technology. The ABAT batteries will be used by Long Run for electric motorcycles and other electric vehicles. ABAT CEO, Zhiguo Fu, said, “We believe the order speaks to the quality of our products and services. The management team at U Long Run Sheng compared similar products available in the market and determined that ABAT’s polymer lithiu

Mercedes-Benz is betting the future will be filled with fuel cell cars

In an interview at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month, Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG, shared his thoughts about a future filled with fuel cell cars (weird… Honda announced that is planning to focus electric vehicles instead of fuel cells). He says that this is definitely possible but in the immediate future, it will be electric cars that will dominate.Since fuel cell cars are still in development, Zetsche said for Autonews that it is likely mild- and full-hybrid cars will fill the market “f

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