Renewable energy sources like solar and wind only generate electricity when the wind blows or the sun is out and that isn’t always when customers need power. Batteries large enough to hold megawatts of electricity are prohibitively expensive but another potential source of battery storage is fast emerging: electric vehicles. (more…)

As the first non-Japanese head of a Japanese automaker, Carlos Ghosn shook up the Nissan Motor Co. with his blunt, aggressive style. Now he’s made perhaps his boldest move yet: committing his company’s future — and his own considerable reputation — to the success of the new all-electric Leaf. (more…)

Driving is an inevitable part of day-to-day life for many commuters. The impact of vehicle related CO2 emissions can no longer be ignored. There are more than 250 million cars regularly operated in the United States. In total, these cars make 365 billion trips with a combined mileage of 2.3 trillion miles per (more…)

A handful of aeronautics companies are developing a new generation of blimp-like hybrid airships that they hope will provide an air cargo alternative to fuel-guzzling aircraft and revive an industry undermined by the 1937 Hindenburg disaster. (more…)

Electric vehicles are often touted as much better for the environment than cars with internal combustion engines. But just what are the environmental costs associated with electric vehicles?

It Starts with Production
For starters, electric cars are still made with materials (more…)

For city, county, and state governments, the question is one of determining what to do in response to higher gas prices that are likely coming to the U.S. during the summer months. $4 a gallon gas prices should of course motivate all citizens to look into alternative forms of transportation like taking public transit. However, what might prevent someone from (more…)

This finding will leave you breathless. A physiology professor at the University of Milan concluded that four men running, walking and riding bicycles emit more carbon dioxide than hybrid cars. He also compared it to gas and diesel cars, which beat the men in terms of carbon emissions. (more…)

James Bond would probably prefer that they were mounted in the grill but how about laser spark plugs under the hood? The Optical Society (OSA) has announced that researchers from Japan’s National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) will present their research on the development of laser spark plugs for internal combustion engines at the 2011 Conference (more…)

Two major U.S. retail companies began installing electric car charging stations outside stores in two states this month, adding privately financed infrastructure that analysts say will be critical for the growth of the electric vehicle market in the U.S.

In Texas, Walgreens, working with NRG Energy, (more…)

Are drivers really ready for a transition to electric cars? BMW’s aims to judge compatibility with a new app.

Just like those “core value” questions asked by the most popular online dating sites, the EVolve app will determine if the current transportation habits of drivers are compatible with the electric vehicle (more…)