EVcast.com is the home of the EVcast. The EVcast is a podcast dedicated to bringing consumers the latest information on electric vehicles in a non-technical, non-political, and entertaining way. Don't forget, you can also subscribe to this podcast via iTunes or your favorite podcatcher.
NEW! Stream the latest episode of the EVcast from your website by including this one simple line of javascript:
<script src="http://www.igroops.com/evcast.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
Watch this Blog Notify me by e-mail any time a new post is made to this blog.
The EVcast is a podcast dedicated to bringing consumers the latest information on electric vehicles in a non-technical, non-political, and entertaining way.
Become Our Platinum SponsorProduct ID: 00000003Currently In Stock: 0
For the main sponsor, you get the big prize! A 622px wide x 100px tall banner that will appear on just about every page within EVcast.com, including blog posts. On the homepage, in place of the banner you will have a custom ... More »
Price: $2500.00
June 2008 Posts
Archives
Don't just listen to the EVcast -- experience and be a part of it! Join us at 1:00pm Eastern, M-F, in our live video broadcast and chat along with us!
I don't think you should be so nice to GM. They had the EV1 and crushed it. They could have kept the program going and made yearly improvements to the car, if they did it would have a 400 mile range by now and cost 20K. Their word is to have the Volt on the streets by 2010. They have no word. Once the right wing steals the oil in ANWR, they will probably drop oil prices and this Volt will go with it.
Toyota has the Prius and they also did not crush the RAV4. The Prius is on schedule to be plug-in in 2010. With 3 new models of Priuses.
The government should not spend a dime on research Ford is insane. Most of the alternative energy and car research was and will always be boondoggles. The government should just allow $5000 rebates to "clean" cars that are purchased, even NEVs or MEVs. Private money can support the research, because private money will only be spent on things the investors actually think will work. The auto Xprize is also another way to spend the publics money wisely. 1 milion cars at $5000 is only $5 billion.
Electric cars have to opportunity to use home AC electrical applicances and gadgets. I saw a 1000 watt inverter for $60 once. There is no reason you can't build an electric car with $80 5000 btu air conditioner with a EER of 10.0, and a $300 honda portable electric start generator and put them in the electric truck bed, then with a flip of the swith turn on the gas generator if you need the range, or turn on the AC. Thus you have efficient AC and hybrid for next to nothing.
quote comment add new comment
> Toyota has the Prius and they also did not crush the RAV4. The Prius is on schedule to be plug-in in 2010. With 3 new models of Priuses.
Just to clear some things up... Toyota WAS crushing the Rav4EV. After we let the EV1 get away - that actually galvanized us into action - we set out to save the rest of the prodution cars. The three big sucess stories are the Ford Think City, the Ford Ranger EV and the Rav4EV. We didn't save them all, but we got on the ball before it was too late, and embarrassed them into STOPPING the crushing - er... recycling - process.
Toyota does have the Prius... and that's about it. Nothing much would change with the Prius until it had to. Toyota was EMPHATIC just a couple of short years ago - that plug-ins were a non-starter. They wouldn't do it. And they wouldn't be talking about it today if the other makers hadn't started threatening their lead.
So yes - be a bit harder on GM... but don't let Toyota off the hook so easily either. Toyota has a bit more green cred than they deserve, IMO.
The goverment gives billions to the oil companies why not to the car companies to start up electric car production lines?
Bill - According to Toyota, there are no plans for commercial plugins until 2012. If you did hear of a 2010 Prius, I would be curious to know where. The Prius seems to have as many rumors as the iPhone 2.0.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/category/toyota/
At autobloggreen they keep mentioning 2010. The new 2009 Prius probably can be converted to PHEV using Toyota parts when available. Honda has 3 new hybrids coming out with low $2000 mark-up compared to gas models.
Paying large car companies to put in electric car lines will only assure car lines not cars that people want to drive are built. GM was paid to make the EV1. Billions have been spent on Hydrogen. Billions have been spent on ethanol. Did you know Zenn is losing money selling 50 cars a quarter. Even a small company needs to have the pressure to cut costs. However, if $5 billion yearly was put in a pool and any buyer of a new EV bought given a $10000 rebate, Zenn would be selling 5000 cars that cost $5000. However, every car company would be seeking the pot of gold. In the mean time there would be millions of EVs on the road. Daily the technology would improve until the rebates would not be needed.
Bill - Even their June 11th post has an "update" section that makes it clear not to expect any PHEVs from Toyota until 2011-2012.
The Big 3(Ford, Chrysler and GM) lost their innovation and desire to be creative. I think they deserve to sleep in the bed that they have made for their selves. Oh well, at least some European cars are still strong like Mercedes but mercedes parts are still expensive. LOL
