Despite tumultuous times for the industry, 2012 marked a banner year for clean technology in San Diego. Numerous organizations within the region’s cleantech cluster – from startups to multinational brands – made significant strides in continuing San Diego’s leadership in the global advanced energy economy. CleanTECH San Diego, a regional non-profit member (more…)

Here’s a piece of idiotic reporting on electric vehicles that I thought I’d share. Apparently, a survey shows that current EV customers are quite happy with their purchase, but a large number of non-EV drivers (the report doesn’t quantify this) don’t like the concept, insofar as it’s expensive and inconvenient. (more…)

I have been driving a Chevy VOLT for a year and a half. I have more than 26,000 miles on it, and have used 100 gallons of gasoline. That works out to more than 250 mpg. Of course, I have been charging the VOLT at home every night, and at the office during the day but my electric bills at both places are not noticeably higher. It would be nice if the electric range were a bit longer (more…)

It’s not every day that you see an electric vehicle driving down the street. Certainly for me, I don’t see electric vehicles parked in the garage of my building. So, when given the opportunity to test drive the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, I jumped at it. I always wondered what it would be like to drive an electric vehicle on the streets and freeways of San Diego. (more…)

The BMW i3 represents one of the biggest parts of the manufacturer’s Project i series, which is focusing on electric city cars. The i3 is expected to be released in 2013, and converts what has been a long process of developing all electric vehicles at BMW into a reality. The i series cars, which will be marketed separately from other BMW marques, are primarily defined by their all electric drivetrains, zero emissions, and (more…)

Here’s a consumer-oriented piece from the U.S. Department of Energy: 10 Things You Didn’t Know about Electric Vehicles. Nicely done.

There are a couple of issues with EVs, however, that make this a trickier issue than the article implies:

• Even though the fuel savings versus gasoline are significant, (more…)

For more than ten years, Heslin Rothenberg’s Clean Energy Patent Growth Index has been reliably tracking green technology patent grants. The CEPGI consistently provides interesting data, which often put solid numbers behind the trends those of us in this field see, hear anecdotally, or just intuitively know. (more…)

Here’s a cool infographic called “The Fastest Electric Vehicles on Earth” that I thought readers would enjoy. What they say here is certainly true: we tend to think of EVs as slow, glorified golf carts. Yet those of us who have driven a Tesla have quite a different impression; they’re little rockets, with better acceleration than Porsches. (more…)

GM is already the maker of the Chevrolet Volt, the first wide-selling domestic plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to hit the market. With new CAFE standards put in place by the US Government, and with growing public demand for cleaner vehicles, GM has decided to expand its electric vehicle inventory. According to GM’s product development chief, by (more…)

Green continues to be a dominant shade of innovation in the automotive sector as 2013 looks to be a banner year for vehicle efficiency. According to AutoTrader.com, total shopper interest for alternative fuel and highly fuel-efficient models is up 54 percent so far in 2012. This year’s LA Auto Show ® reflects this trend and will host significant debuts in electric, (more…)