Archive for July 7th, 2010

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, USA

If you happen to reside in Los Angeles, Sacramento or along the stretch of road that extends between San Francisco and San Jose, California, then you’re in luck and boy are we envious of you. Coulomb Technologies has announced that it received a grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to install 1,600 of its CharegPoint Networked home and public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the aforementioned areas.

The installation of these charging stations is being funded by a relatively small $3.4 million grant from the CEC. The charging stations will help the State of California conduct research on EV charging habits and other aspects of EV usage. Though initially installed for research purposes, these 1,600 chargers will likely remain in place long after the study is completed, thus providing selected areas of California with way more chargers than any other region of the U.S. and giving the state the edge in the drive towards a zero-emissions future.

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Coulomb to install 1,600 EV chargers in California originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog Green

Day three on the road in our Lotus Evora convoy finally brings an end to the mundane expressways of central France and that much closer to reaching the Goodwood Festival of Speed. We reach the Eurostar station in Calais, France by midmorning, where we purchase our fares and drive our Evoras onto the underground train that will take our group across the English Channel in roughly a half hour’s time.

There’s not much to do on the train while it rockets underneath the sea, so we spend most of our time entertaining questions from curious passengers and inquisitive Eurostar employees alike. Countless more flashes reflect off the paintwork of our Evoras. Driving an Evora over the span of several days reminds once again that owning such a car virtually guarantees public attention on a daily basis. The phenomenon is a novelty at first, but the charm soon wears thin. Suffice it to say, the hermit crabs of the world should stay far, far away from their local Lotus dealer.

Safe and back on terra firma in England, we head north towards the Goodwood estate, following the country roads that are found south of London. The two-lane tarmac found here is tight and twisty and is dotted with small towns inhabited mostly by commuters that make the 60km jaunt into London on a daily basis. Boutique shops and markets stream past our windows, as do lush green trees and vegetation. It’s exceptionally pretty here, though the weekend traffic is thick and progress is frustratingly slow — especially considering the quality of road that would otherwise serve as quite the playground for an eager Lotus. Still, it’s refreshing to be away from the dull, truck-filled highways. Hours later, in the early evening, we reach our hotel for the night.

Sunday morning dawns bright and crisp, with a cloudless sky and some of the lowest temperatures we’ve had yet. It’s finally jacket weather after days spent in uncomfortably sticky heat and humidity. Back on the road, it’s not hard to tell that it’s the Goodwood FoS weekend. Sports cars of all types are filing along the streets, all headed for the grounds of Lord March’s estate. Plenty of British icons are seen – Lotus Elises, MGBs, Jaguar E-Types – but they’re rivaled strongly by the Italian presence of Alfas, Fiats and even the occasional Ferrari.

A short while later, we’ve reached the Goodwood parking lot and step out of our dusty, dirty Evoras for the last time. In the morning, they’ll be picked up by Lotus and loaded onto transport trucks for their return to Lotus HQ, north of here in Hethel. Driving over 1000 km in a vehicle can form quite a bond between man and machine, and the Evoras have certainly plucked at our heart strings. We walk around the cars, taking in their subtleties once more. Then, once again.

On the track, a red Evora identical to the one in our fleet redlines through first, second, third gear as it growls its throaty crescendo up the famous hillclimb circuit and disappears around a turn…

Via MotorTrend Magazine Blogs

Mercedes has announced that the S350 CDI BlueTEC is now on sale in Germany for €76,279.

Despite being more potent than its predecessor, the engine is 11% more economical thanks to AdBlue aqueous urea injection. This allows the car to have an average fuel consumption of 41.5mpg (6.8l/100km) combined and CO2 emissions of 177g/km (down from 37.1mpg (7.6l/100km) and 199g/km).

In addition to the new engine, the S350 is available with Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, PASSION leather/Alcantara upholstery, and a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound sound system with 15 speakers and two amplifiers, with total output of 1200w.

Via Cars Of The Future® Blog

Filed under: Government/Legal, Ford

Ford CEO Alan Mulally has been named to President Obama’s export council. The council, which has been around since 1973, has been tasked with increasing exports by 50 percent within five years. Mulally will be one of the 28 private sector members of the council, which consists of industry leaders and politicians. Ironically, Mulally will report to Boeing CEO W. James McNerney Jr. who edged out Mulally for the top spot at Boeing right before Mulally left his employer of 37 years for the top spot at Ford.

Mulally and company will be working trade equality in a world where countries like China are accused of manipulating currency to better position their products against those made here in the States. Other countries like South Korea are far more closed to imports than the U.S. market. Despite these challenges, exports during the first four months of 2010 are up by 17 percent compared to the same period in 2009.

[Source: Detroit News | Image: William Thomas Cain/Getty]

Report: Ford CEO Mulally named to Obama Export Council originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog

In the United States presented supercar named Dagger GT, maximum speed, according to its creators, more than 483 km / h. A car built by TransStar Racing, was founded by former NASA experts in aerodynamics and designer sports car Saleen S7, who participated in the 24-hour race at Le Mans.

Dagger GT is equipped with a racing engine with two turbines that can run on different fuels. While TransStar Racing did not publish any technical features of the model, but promised that the engine power is 2000 hp and torque – 2712 Nm, due to what supercar will accelerate from zero to 100 km / h in 1,6 sec ., and its maximum speed of over 480 km / h. The company has promised to break all records Nurburgring.

Dagger GT chassis is made of steel and the body – from carbon fiber. Reportedly, customers can order three versions of the model: racing, road and GT-X, with splendid comfortable interior. The first five copies of the supercar will be built in 2011. According TransStar Racing, two of them have already found buyers. In the year 2012 will be released for another ten cars. The cost of car starts with 450 thousand dollars.

Via Cool Cars