ECC, also known as the Electric Car Corporation Plc, has just announced its launch of a new, “all electric”, 4-seater, production car that will be made available to the public today.

This recent UK launch comes right in the heels of the announcement from the government saying how they subsidize and support the use of electric cars. The British government has also expressed their commitment in making the UK the “world leader” in creating and exporting quality electric cars. London’s own mayor, Boris Johnson, has also revealed plans of introducing 25,000 recharging points throughout the city. These recharging points should make it easier for electric car drivers to keep their rides ready for longer road trips.

The new electric car is going to be called the Citroën C1 ev’ie. It’s the first 4-seater, all-electric ride that’s designed to give its drivers (and passengers) superior comfort and performance. This car even comes complete with all the standard safety features you’ll find in your usual gas-powered car.

WhatGreenCar.com also reports that this vehicle is capable of running 60-70 miles when fully-charged, at a level speed of approximately 60mph. Not bad for an electric car, right?

To keep this car completely-charged, you can also plug it in for around 6-7 hours in a domestic 13 amp socket. That should cost you around 90p, which means you’re going to be spending less than 2p per mile.

Citroën C1 ev’ie models will be assembled in the United Kingdom from the donor car. And the company expects to produce around 500 of the C1 ev’ies in the next 12 months. Significantly rising to 2,000-4,000 units by next year depending on public demand and the government support.

“We are committed to providing greener alternatives for motorists and are delighted to be supplying ECC with C1s for this exciting project,” the Managing Director of the Citroën UK, Xavier Duchemin, said.

ECC plc Chief Executive David Martell also commented: “We believe this is the first serious alternative to a petrol or diesel car. It drives just like a petrol car and has excellent capacity for use in any town or city in the UK…The key to building a successful electric car is an efficient battery management system (BMS). ECC has developed an advanced and sophisticated system, which when coupled with regenerative breaking, can provide the driver with much greater range and better performance.”

The C1 ev’ie is said to be priced at $16,850 and can be bought directly from ECC.

Ford Fiesta Van

There’s a new, super-stylish, small, green van in town, and it’s out to conquer Britain. Giant automaker Ford has recently revealed the new Fiesta Van ECOnetic. The super fuel saver that’s going to be released on the market later this year.

WhatGreenCar.com reports that the new and improved Fiesta Van ECOnetic comes with the same style as the old Fiesta, but with a few tweaks here and there and a greener overall design. This model has low-rolling resistance tires, a lowered suspension, and a specialized Duratorq 1.6-liter TDCi for super-low exhaust emissions of just 98g/km CO2.

The latest green car from Ford was created at the automaker’s wind-powered engine plant that’s found at Dagenham, Essex. Its 90PS Duratorq 1.6-Liter engine was combined with a Diesel Particulate Filter that’s designed to produce 10% less carbon dioxide (CO2) compared to the already-impressive mainstream TDCi. This car also has a unique aerodynamic profile that allows it to run at a very fuel-efficient 76.4 mpg (miles per gallon)!

Ford’s director of commercial vehicles in Britain, Steve Kimber, talks about the perks of this new “green van”.

Ford Fiesta Econetic 2008 Model

“Many operators are prepared to be green - but still want comfort, performance, and an affordable price. The low-running costs of this ECOnetic van are bound to make more people consider the ‘green’ option. It’s a great package…We are also announcing a Transit ECOnetic today for opeators to see that Ford is serious about sustainability and developing their favorite van range in a way that supports their business.”

When placed beside previous-generation Fiestas, this model is designed to use up to 35 gallons less fuel over a course of 12,428 miles. That’s definitely going to save you a lot of gas money in the long run. When driven in the extra-urban highway, the fuel efficiency of the Fiesta Van ECOnetic improves even further. This van is capable of achieving 88.3 mpg! While your regular gas-powered car runs at 23mpg, this van will run much, much further with much less gas—and that’s a Ford guarantee.

When you look around, cars are becoming smaller and smaller. Well, that’s not necessarily a bad thing because they save a lot of space, power, and most of all, they’re easier to park. Since they’re smaller, you don’t need too much fuel powering them and of course, they have lower emissions. When it comes to small cars, one manufacturer stands out from the rest and that happens to be Mitsubishi.

Most of the cars that Mitsubishi releases can accommodate as much as four people. Aside from that, they’re powered by an engine that is only 600 cc in volume. Despite of the diminutive size, Mitsubishi makes sure that they’re stylish and functional at the same time.

Right now, there are three vehicles that Mitsubishi is grooming to be sent outside Japan and these are the i MiEV, i MiEV Sport concept, and Concept cX. The i MiEV uses a 330-volt lithium-ion battery, which is mounted below the floor in order to maintain a low center of gravity. Meanwhile, the i MiEV Sport concept uses an aluminum chassis for extra toughness and durability. Aside from that, it uses a Super All-Wheel Control System that is needed to improve traction, output, and control. Last but not the least is the Concept cX, which is essentially an electric-powered SUV.

As I was looking through some old archives of early electric cars, I came across one of the most iconic electric vehicles in the 90s: the Nissan Future Electric Vehicle. Sure, General Motors was at the top of the pecking order when it comes to electric-car technology. However, Nissan showed that it’s also a major player when they announced the release of the Nissan Future Electric Vehicle.

The Nissan Future Electric Vehicle was a stylish vehicle that looked like any other car out there. There was only one difference and that’s it runs using electricity. It’s actually a four-passenger coupe and it ran using the prototype lithium-ion batteries. These batteries were extremely sophisticated during that time. However, other automakers perfected the technology and this battery type is the most commonly used battery these days.

When it comes to speed, the Nissan Future Electric Vehicle can go as fast as 75 miles although its range is a bit limited. Despite of the Nissan Future Electric Vehicle’s promise, the 90s certainly wasn’t the time to release a fuel-saving vehicle such as this. Back in the early 90s, everybody acted that oil would last forever. Of course everybody knows that it wouldn’t. however, nobody was stopping anyone during that time.

In this blog, I talk about any kind of vehicle that has something to do with being green. That means, I don’t solely write about cars because we’ll never know when the next green vehicle would be like. That’s why when the E-Bikeboard S500 was launched, I immediately jumped on it. Yes it may not be a car but it’s every inch a green vehicle.

So what is the E-Bikeboard S500 in the first place? Basically, it’s an electric snowboard, bicycle, and wakeboard rolled into one. Since it’s made of compact aluminum, it’s actually very light, which makes it perfect for both snow and water. If you think that’s all there is to it, you’re dead wrong. That because the E-Bikeboard S500 can also be used on land and all you have to do is put some wheels to it and it turns itself into an instant bike. So how did this thing get into this blog? As I said earlier, it uses green technology because instead of a gasoline-powered motor, it uses an electric motor. That motor is powered by lithium-polymer batteries that can be recharged.

Because it uses batteries, the E-Bikeboard S500 doesn’t emit anything and it’s even strong enough to carry a load that can weigh 260 pounds. Despite of its batteries, the E-Bikeboard S500 weighs only an astonishing 66 pounds and when it comes to the price, you only need 2,500 dollars to get one.

If you would talk to a GM fan years ago and tell him that the automaker would make small cars 20 years later, he would have surely laughed at you. Then again, the emergence of hybrid cars from Honda, Toyota, and even Mazda left automakers such as General Motors outside the winning circle. With that being said, GM needs to play the rules of the new game and that means it needs to build more fuel efficient, compact, and eco-friendly cars already. General Motors deemed that launching the Chevy Beat is its first step to success.

The Chevy Beat is essentially designed for young people with its solid lines and sharp edges. With its look, it’s definitely meant to torch roads and streets, rather than rugged and rough terrain. Basically, the Chevy Beat is a sporty car that is powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged engine. Aside from that, it can travel as fast as 175 mph, while having an MPG rating of 30.

Truth is, the Chevy Beat is what General Motors needs in order to reintroduce its new plan for the next coming years. The company has vowed to produce more fuel efficient and eco-friendly cars in the future. Because of that, the Chevy Beat is a perfect product that would driver more customers to it.

The GM EV1 Electric Car paved the way for many of the electric cars that we know today. From the drivetrain technology to the design, the GM EV1 Electric Car was the grandfather of all modern electric vehicles that we know today. Here are the last few things that every green-car enthusiast should know about this car

14. The main problem with the GM EV1 Electric Car is that its batteries are so expensive it could never be cancelled out by mass production. Although there was no official statement by General Motors regarding the battery costs, many experts believed that they fell in the 20000-30000 range.

15. Despite of the huge developments in technology, General Motors deemed that pursuing the GM EV1 Electric Car no longer serves the best interests of the company. Because of that, the entire program was abolished in 2003 and General Motors pursued a different direction ever since.

16. Despite of the GM EV1 Electric Car’s silent yet expected death, the technology that was used on it was still applied on General Motor’s hybrid and fuel cell-powered vehicles.

Overall, the GM EV1 Electric Car never really took off, but its technology gave other auto manufacturers the idea on how and where to start.

So this is part 4 of a 5 part blog regarding the GM EV1 Electric Car. Over the years, many people have forgotten how great this car was. Because of that, here’s my 5-post special about the things that people should know about the GM EV1 Electric Car

11. When it comes to driving, nothing beats the GM EV1 Electric Car in the electric vehicle class. When I used to be behind its wheels, I was extremely quiet, efficient, and the best part is, it doesn’t emit any kind of exhaust gas.

12. The GM EV1 Electric Car’s greatness on the road can also be attributed to its very low coefficient drag. In fact, it’s low that its coefficient drag is pegged at 0.19 Cd. So does that number mean? Well, you can practically let go off your accelerator pedal on the freeway and not think about it pressing it for a few minutes.

13. Actually, the interior of the GM EV1 Electric Car reminded me of a classic jetfighter back in the 70s. From the instruments to the dashboard, the GM EV1 Electric Car had the word “jet fighter” written all over it. Although it was only meant to accommodate two people, the GM EV1 Electric Car was designed to be efficient and functional at the same time.

7. Basically, General Motors introduced the GM EV1 Electric Car at an extremely low price of 34,000 USD back in 1996. I say extremely low because back then, developing an electric car costs more than 34 grand. The reason being is that people from General Motors wanted to test whether the public was receptive enough to accept the GM EV1 Electric Car as a legitimate vehicle.

8. Before being launched, the GM EV1 Electric Car was out only on the market to be leased. The reason being is that General Motors wanted to protect the technology, which took them decades to be developed from being stolen. Back in the mid 90s, you needed at least 700 bucks to rent the GM EV1 Electric Car.

9.General Motors used the Magne system to use the GM EV1 Electric Car’s batteries. Instead of using a conventional plug, this charger used a charging paddle to minimize metal-to-metal contact.

10. The GM EV1 Electric Car was also the pioneer when it comes to using nickel-metal-hydride batteries. Basically, this kind of battery is the very same thing that most hybrid cars used nowadays. The fact is, these batteries enabled the GM EV1 Electric Car to cover as much as 100 to 120 miles.

As a continuation of my last post regarding the GM EV1 Electric Car, here are the next important facts that you ought to know regarding the GM EV1 Electric Car.

4. During the early development of the GM EV1 Electric Car, several test mules were used to prove that the electric drivetrain really works. The vehicles used were the Geo Storm and the Lumina APV minivan.

5. Many people don’t know that there is no exact model for which the drivetrain can be based upon. Because of that, it was one huge victory for General Motors when the guys in there finally figured out how to manufacture the GM EV1 Electric Car. Basically, General Motors finally settled for a powerful AC induction motor that will be used for the drivetrain.

6.The challenge for General Motors is to make the GM EV1 Electric Car look like any other vehicle out there. That means its size should never suffer and the performance should be as good if not better than the production cars.