Nissan working on cheaper battery, will sell to suppliers

As Nissan gears up to launch the Leaf electric-car in the U.S. next year, the Japanese automaker is developing a next-generation battery that will be lighter and less expensive. Speaking to the press at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on the eve of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, CEO Carlos Ghosn said Nissan could eventually outsource batteries for its electric-vehicle program to suppliers. He said that Nissan is first looking to control battery development internally to control cost and

Review: 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, look here for impressive fuel-effciency numbers

FoMoCo’s CEO Alan Mulally is calling consumers and thanking them for purchasing it over the Toyota Prius; it gets better fuel-economy than the Toyota Camry Hybrid; it is the most fuel-efficient mid-size hybrid sedan in America; It is the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, a fuel-efficient mid-size sedan that Detroit can claim with pride. The ‘10 Fusion Hybrid gets an EPA estimated 41 mpg in-town, has a driving range of 700 miles on a single tank of gas, and goes as fast as 47 mph in electric mode; but t

Mercedes-Benz planning more hybrids and AMG models

To comply with the current environmental law requirements, Mercedes-Benz intends to commit to its plan to add a new hybrid model each year from 2009 onwards to lay the groundwork for raising hybrid sales to 20% of its corporate total by 2015.Aside from filling the need for compliance, this goal is also a reflection of customer demand and as a means to position the brand to continue beyond the eventual end of the combustion engine. At the recently held Frankfurt Auto Show, Daimler CEO Dieter Zets

Ford to build fourth plant in China to produce next-generation Focus

After unveiling the Ford Figo in India, FoMoCo CEO Alan Mulally headed to China to announce that the company is building a fourth plant in the country that will produce the next-generation Ford Focus for the consumers there. The $490 million investment in Chongqing is the third joint venture between Ford and Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA) and is scheduled for completion in 2012. The new plant will have an initial capacity of 150,000 units per year, increasing annual capacity at CFMA

SolarCity Announces Sun-Powered EV Fast-Charging Stations in California

Photo: SolarCity Gotta Start Somewhere... Having many accessible fast-charging stations is a prerequisite to a wider adoption of electric cars. Most EV owners will charge their cars in their garage most of the time, but if you need to drive a longer distance, it's important to know that you'll be able to find a charging station (even better if it's high-amperage). So it's good news that SolarCity , a company backed by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, along with Rabobank , has announced that i..

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