Video: Jay Leno Tries Out the Aptera EV

When it comes to the lack of popularity of electric cars, Jay Leno is right - most of what is on offer today just does`t look exciting enough to woo buyers away from conventional cars. However, some startup manufacturers are trying to change that, and one of these manufacturers is the California-designed and build Aptera.


Jay recently got a chance to test the highly-aerodynamic EV, and he was rightfully impressed. For one, it looks stunning, and while it may have been drawn up by engineers, for the purpose of cutting through the air as efficiently as possible, the overall shape is actually pleasing to look at - especially the rear end.

The car has a front-mounted electric motor, which puts out around 70 hp, yet it is more than adequate to move the car around with ease, as it uses a special honeycomb composite material for the body. Also, the batteries are mounted as low as possible, and despite having just three wheels, the car is apparently very stable and pleasing to drive.

If they price it correctly, then this talented and futuristic-looking vehicle could be a hit - it has all the right ingredients to do so, and it just need the right kind of promotion and assurance that none of the mechanical bits will go wrong, as they are, as we`ve previously stated, a startup manufacturer.

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Europe - 35% of Buyers Are Willing to Spend More on Green Tech Despite Recession

A recent poll, conducted and sponsored by Ford, found out something particularly interesting about the European car buyer. Apparently, some 35% of Europeans would be willing to spend more on a new car, if it came loaded with green tech, and would be more environmentally-friendly.

This is odd, considering the sorry state of the continent's economy, as unemployment rates go up, and salaries stagnate. Still, something more in-tune with the current situation is the 71% of consumers who said fuel-efficiency was a major deciding factor for the purchase of a new car.

The same poll also discovered that 68% of European drivers actually think about fuel economy as they are driving - we find that perfectly normal, and we encourage it. Also, some 53% of those questioned say that climate change is the most important challenge faced by our current society, while 57% admitted that they would like to live a greener lifestyle.

This begs the question, then: Why, if they have discovered that people are willing to pay more for green tech, does Ford not sell any of its own hybrids in Europe, to prove their own point.

“The survey shows that even in economically difficult times there is a clear desire for vehicles that are more environmentally friendly,” says Barb Samardzich, VP of Product Development for Ford's European branch. She added that “Ford is extremely focused on meeting this demand now and in the future, and this goes hand-in-hand with delivering products that help reduce running costs.”

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All-Electric Volkswagen eUp! to Cost under €25,000 in Germany

One of the two main drawbacks of buying a current generation all-electric vehicle if the very high acquisition cost, which you do recuperate if you use the car regularly for a number of years, but it just isn`t a decision based on common sense - you buy an EV because you want to be green, and because you genuinely want one.

However, as they are becoming increasingly common, and automakers are beginning to get to grips with having to build them, the cost of such vehicles is going down. Now, Volkswagen is set to enter the European market with its all-new eUp!, which as its name suggests is an all-electric version of the petrol-powered Up! city runabout, which we tested.

We say this kind of car is the perfect candidate for electric power, in spite of what Bob Lutz says, as it is light, and therefor does`t need a lot of energy to move it about, and so it can be made to be highly-efficient. However, it is not really this car's party piece, as that goes to its price, which is said to be very competitive.

What`s really interesting about this eUp! is the fact that when it does finally go on sale in Germany, it is expected to cost below €25,000, while a Skoda-badged version of the car, called the Citigo, will also go on sale later, and will cost around €1,000 less. Keep in mind that a full-sized EV, the Nissan Leaf costs €37,000, also in Germany.

Via motornature.com

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Coda Sedan Available for $24,995 in California

The Coda Sedan EV usually retails for $38,145, without any intervention from the federal and state governments, yet according to greencarreports.com, Coda Silicon Valley were reportedly offering the all-electric sedan at more than $14,000 off! The company itself is clearly not doing too well, after being forced to fire a significant part of their staff - twice.

The car was available for exactly $24,995, which is a steal for a fully-featured sedan, which also happens to run solely on electricity. However, this massive discount does illustrate the fact that Coda dealers may be having a somewhat difficult time selling the Sedan, but since the manufacturer has yet to release any sales data, it`s hard to tell. However, the offer lasted until last week, and it was available courtesy of Coda Silicon Valley, from Santa Clara, California.

Furthermore, the car`s popularity was undoubtedly dented by the poor two-star safety rating, given by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA, for the car`s frontal crash test.

The Coda Sedan, a car which is shipped in bits over from China, and assembled on US soil, still has to prove itself and gain some popularity - it is the kind of car which needs a 'cult following' of devoted owners, who will not only help Coda by sending in their feedback on how to improve the car, but also nudge the company along by buying their cars, and keeping the cash-flow positive.

Still, with seating for five, an 88-mile single-charge range, the Coda Sedan is still a viable choice for those looking for an EV of any sort.

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EV Sales in Europe Increase Fivefold by 2020

Europe is still reluctant to accept the EV as the feasible alternative to the conventional gasoline-, diesel-and LPG-powered vehicles. They have not really had too many options to choose from, anyway, and only the last two years have brought about the introduction of cars actual people would actually like to buy and own.

It goes further, according to Pike Research, and the launch of desirable cars like the Nissan Leaf and Opel/Vauxhall Ampera has set in motion a chain reaction which will lead to Europeans buying five times more EVs by 2020. This means that the number of EVs purchased will account for 4% of the entire automotive sales on the continent, by the turn of the decade.

Pike Research also places the rising cost of fuel at the top of the list of reasons for buying an EV in Europe, yet ultra-efficient diesels and hybrids like the Volkswagen XL1 will still deter some buyers from going all-electric.

This all means that by 2020, the market share of EVs will grow from the 0.7% figure of 2012, to 4%, which roughly equates to 827,000 EVs sold on the continent, every year.

David Alexander, Pike Research senior analyst said: "The European transportation market is significantly different from other world regions [ . . . ] Thanks to fuel prices that are significantly higher than in North America, small, efficient gasoline- and diesel-engine cars have led European sales figures for many years. Today, the market is still testing electric drive technology, waiting for the price premium for EVs compared to conventional vehicles to narrow, and in some cases waiting for electric charging infrastructure to become established."

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Video: US Students Drive Electric Lotus Esprit Across the Country

The idea of giving an old car electric power is a great way to keep classics on the road, without offending the more green-minded among us. One such classic, which is not known for being particularly efficient, the Lotus Esprit, has been chosen by a group of students from Kansas to do just that.


The students, from five different schools and part of a non-profit after school program called MINDDRIVE (official site), got the 1977 Esprit as a donation, and proceeded to convert it into an EV. They got the car last year, and since then have worked weekends, along with their mentors, to get it ready.

Now, the car is ready, and it has been taken on a coast-to-coast road trip, giving presentations and interviews at every stop they made, for charging purposes.

The trip began on June 11, and the Lotus went on its way, being followed by support vehicles carrying additional team members. By the end of the trip, on June 20, they had racked up 1,800 miles or 2,900 km under its own power, of the total distance traveled of 2,400 miles or 3,860 km.

Via gizmag.com

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Chinese Police in Shenzen to Drive BYD E6 EVs

Since China never really had that many internal combustion cars to begin with, and the car culture is not rooted in the use of oil-based fuels, it seems that it is easier for the Chinese to accept, adopt and adapt to the use of EVs.

They are already using EVs as taxis and as transportation for city officials in urban areas all across the country. Now, the city of Shenzen will receive a total of 800 BYD E6 EVs, 500 of which will be used by the local police force, while the remaining 300 will be used as taxis.

It is another vote of confidence for the Chinese manufacturer and its EVs, which have reportedly accumulated more than 40 million kilometres driven, as part of taxi fleets.

As a reminder, the BYD E6 is an all-electric vehicle, which has a top speed of 140 km/h, and is good for 300 km of range, or 186 miles. Furthermore, the E6 is considerably more affordable than you'd think, and this is one of the main reason why its popularity is increasing and will keep increasing in the near future.

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