It’s hard not to enjoy the constant stream of Chinese electric cars coming down the pipe. Another day, another ridiculously cheap model. This LUQI M1 EV300 electric car is reminiscent of the Renault Twizy (£6950), but with a touch more room and polish. Of course it’s only a city runabout (or should we say crawlabout?), but it’s definitely got bags of cute.
Read MorePosts by tag: e/v
Blaval M7 – Solar Powered EV From $5000
Just in case you missed the memo, the Chinese are starting to own the electric car business. Sure Tesla gets the headlines, but behind the scenes companies like Geely, SAIC, BYD and Chery are making big big waves. So no surprise then to find a tiny brand doing some interesting stuff, like this Blaval M7 solar powered EV. The range starts at a ridiculously low $5000 for the ultra slow golf cart model, but spend a little more and you’re…
Read MoreZeekr 001 – First 1000 Kilometer range EV Goes Into Production In China. Deliveries Q2 2023?
According to this report from New Atlas, the first 1000 km EV coming off the production line is going to be the Zeekr 001 in Q2 of next year. You’ll remember a few weeks back we talked about the cool new CATL battery technology which is promising massive range and ridiculously short charge times? Well this is the first fruit of that development cycle. It’s not clear exactly what the charge time will be on the Zeekr 001, but it…
Read MoreSupercharging Science: The Dangers Of Inflating Scientific Research To Hype Vaporware
We recently came across an interesting article in New Scientist magazine which looked very exciting. The headline read ‘Supercharging tweak could fill electric car batteries 90% in 10 mins’. Wow, that sounded like it could really change the EV market significantly. Naturally we started our typical process of due diligence (learned over 20 years of publication) to learn the background to this seemingly revolutionary new tech. Yeah well, about that…
Read MoreQilin 1000 km EV Battery From CATL Will Revolutionize The Motor Industry (No Joke)
The world’s largest EV battery maker, CATL, released a ground breaking 1000 km (620 mile) range battery back in June which set the EV world alight. The new Qilin (pronounced cheeling) battery not only offers mind blowing range and energy density, but features a bunch of other cutting edge tech which will speed up charging to the point where it rivals filling up at a gas station. The first iteration of the battery uses ‘rapid thermal control with a quadruple…
Read MoreCyberLandr – the world’s first Cybertruck camper van
What’s the definition of vaporware? How about a brand new concept vehicle, based on an electric car that has never been sold on the market? A concept which has gained an instant valuation of $400 million? If that kind of stuff leaves you bemused and amused, then you’ll love the CyberLandr. The new electric camper van, based on the Tesla Cybertruck, will apparently retail at around $45,000 (which seems ridiculously cheap to us) when it finally arrives sometime whenever.
Read MoreStella Vita – van life gets the perfect solar electric makeover
Oh how we love this! The Stella Vita is the world’s first completely self sufficient mobile home. And it’s not just some remote concept, it actually works. The vehicle has been developed by am amazing student team in Eindhoven, Netherlands and has just completed an astounding 1800 mile run down from Holland to Spain using solar power and electric mains charge.
Read MoreElectric Double Decker Bus – updates the London scene with zero emissions
Let’s say you’re the owner of a small to medium size city. And you want – no need – to improve your finances as fast as possible. You could turn it into a gambling metro. You could offer tax advantages for doing business there. Or you could, with a bit of imagination, invest $240,000 in this glorious rip-off of a London double decker bus. But electric. And run tours around your city all day long. Wowwee.
Read MoreLightyear One – solar car travels 710 kms (440 miles) on single 60kWh charge
Dutch electric car maker Lightyear has passed another milestone this week, with the announcement of a test run which completed 710 kilometres (440 miles) at a speed of 85 km per hour. The Lightyear One vehicle has long been marketed as a super efficient EV and this latest coup proves the point. The car features embedded solar panels, super efficient electric in-wheel motors and a bunch of other software and hardware enhancements focused on maximising the vehicle’s range. The results…
Read MoreDartz FreZe – $4500 EV is super cheap in China, not so much in Europe
Apparently battery prices have plummeted over the past few years, and you can tell by the reduction in EV prices coming out of China. This Dartz Freze retails at around $4500 in China at the moment, and now it’s come to Europe. Named after a pioneering Russian EV from 1900, the Freze features a 9.2kWh or 13.8kWh battery, giving a range of around 124 miles and a top speed of a sprightly 62 mph. The price in Europe is reportedly…
Read MoreBiofil – The world’s first chip-fat powered EV charger?
Trust the Aussies to do something different. What you’re looking at here is a ‘standard’ 50kW DC electric vehicle fast charger. What makes the Biofil different is the fact that it’s hooked up to a biodiesel electric generator. Which uses the waste cooking fat from the service station (or rest stop for you Americans) fryers to do the deed. The problem is simple. Many of Australia’s roadside restaurants are so remote they’re off grid, which makes it hard to offer…
Read MoreElectric Frog Max – probably the cheapest electric delivery van in the world
The Electric Frog Max (or ElektroFrosch Max to give its original name) is a tiny city EV delivery van hailing out of Berlin, Germany. What makes it remarkable, apart from the fact that it’s German, is the ultra low price. Yes we’re talking about a mega slow, underpowered, rudimentary form of transportation, but at €4590 inc VAT, who cares?
Read MoreMonarch Electric Tractor – new driverless $50K smart tractor could be a game changer for small farms
The new Monarch 100% Electric Tractor was launched earlier this week in the USA, and it looks to be a real breakthrough product for farmers. The low cost 3 in 1 workhorse can operate not only as a tractor, but also an ATV and a field generator if remote power is needed (e.g. for on the spot welding). And that’s not to say it lacks in the tractor features either. It offers 10 hours autonomous operation, with a 4-5 hour…
Read MoreGM Connect & Cruise – get ready for a world of after-market EV conversion kits
EV crates are suddenly all the rage. These kits contain packaged electric motor components designed to let you upgrade/convert your old gas guzzler to a sleek new electric vehicle. Swindon Powertrain got a head start earlier with its PowerTrain set up, and the Revolt guys will happily drop a Tesla EV crate system into your cherished classic car – for a price! These kits come with a variety of options included, including full transmissions and stuff, and typically batteries are…
Read MoreeDumper – and you thought EVs were limited to cars and golf carts?
So you remember when we all used to laugh at electric cars? Call them glorified golf carts? Yeah well about that. Tesla clearly broke the ice with the original Sportster, but now the whole battery powered thing is moving in an entirely new direction. Heavy industrial machinery. Take for instance, this Swiss made eDumper. The fully electric dump truck ain’t no Tonka Toy (look it up). The beast is expected to move 300,000 tons of rock every year for the…
Read More