Lithium Drive: The New Toyota RAV4 EV - The Only Electric SUV

  Now you can have an SUV and still be Green! Toyota RAV4 EV looks more like a compliance car - judging by its production numbers, but it is the very important step by Toyota into the right direction. Power train powered by Lithium batteries is supplied by Tesla Motors and we are looking forward to see it on the roads now.

The New Toyota RAV4 EV - The Only Electric SUV
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. revealed the highly anticipated all-new Toyota RAV4 EV at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles. This all-electric SUV has an expected driving range rating of approximately 100 miles and charging time of approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger. The RAV4 EV's driving performance, dynamics and cargo capacity are equal to or exceed the gas powered RAV4 V6. Arriving fully-equipped with an MSRP of $49,800 the RAV4 EV doesn't compromise on performance, comfort or versatility.
The RAV4 EV is the product of a unique collaboration with Tesla Motors spurred by Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation. Twenty-two months after the project announcement, Toyota and Tesla engineers have succeeded in bringing an outstanding product to market in record time.
The RAV4 EV combines a Tesla designed and produced battery and electric powertrain with Toyota's most popular SUV model. The collaborative team set its sights on refining the customer experience. From advanced charging options to interior comfort to interactive displays, the vehicle has been designed for customer ease of use and maximum vehicle range.
The front wheel drive RAV4 EV allows drivers to select from two distinctly different drive modes, Sport and Normal. In Sport mode, the vehicle reaches 0-60 mph in just 7.0 seconds and has a maximum speed of 100 mph. Normal mode achieves 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds with a maximum speed of 85 mph. Maximum output from the electric powertrain is 154 HP (115kW) @ 2,800 rpm.
RAV4 EV offers an exceptionally smooth, quiet ride and comfortable handling due in part to its low coefficient of drag and low center of gravity. In fact, at 0.30 Cd, RAV4 EV achieves the lowest coefficient of drag of any SUV in the world.
Inside, a six-way adjustable driver's seat includes variable front seat heaters, which extends heater coverage to the occupant's upper back.
The split reclining rear seats with folding center arm rest fold flat for increased cargo space, with a total cargo capacity equivalent to the conventional RAV4 of 73 cu. ft. No interior space is lost in the vehicle due to EV components.
The highlight of the interior is an eight-inch capacitive touch screen with a state of the art graphic display, featuring navigation, telematics, and EV drive information and settings designed specifically for the RAV4 EV. Entune™ is standard (with three year complimentary access to Entune™ services) along with SiriusXM Satellite Radio (with 3-month trial subscription to XM Select package), AM/FM radio, Bluetooth® streaming audio, and USB port ...

New Investment Mega Trend 

"As we have mentioned before, in this mega trend of Energy Transition driven by Peak Oil multiplied by Inflation - it is very important to cut all the noise fueled by Oil lobby and look what people with money and vision are really doing and not only what they are talking about.  China, Japan and Korea are all over the place making investments in Lithium developers for the last few years. "

Lithium Rush: The Art Of War In The Markets: China Getting Ready For 5 Million Electric Cars by 2020

"China has the money, political will and the technology to leapfrog into the post carbon world. Oil is the geopolitical issue already and it will define the sharp edge between the state of War and Peace in the nearest future. As one very wise and honest  person has put it: "How to stop wars and terrorism? - Stop using Oil." We will paraphrase it here: How to Survive? - Stop using Oil - at least for transportation.

  Electric Cars produce the one life time opportunity for China now - do not get us wrong, not everything is driven by the ancient wisdom of "The Art Of War", but just look at what people are doing and not what they are talking about.  It is the most apparent situation  in the strategic commodities markets - Rare Earths are already controlled by China, Graphite is under the siege and Lithium is the next frontier. Despite all noise in the media, China is steadily implementing its 12th Five Year Plan - to build the new strategic industry based on Electric Cars."

International Lithium Corp. Options Blackstairs Project Further Strengthening Ties With Chinese Lithium Producer Jiangxi Ganfeng ILC.v, TNR.v

"International Lithium has demonstrated very impressive exploration success this year, our team is extremely pleased with the advance of our projects to date,  resultantly I would like to provide a more comprehensive update to our shareholders" - Kirill Klip, President of ILC.

Lithium Generation: Nissan Donates Zero-Emission LEAF Vehicles

  It is education time about Electric Cars now, new generation will be driving them in the nearest future.

Nissan North America Inc. announced Tuesday that it has donated two Nissan LEAF cars and three charging stations to Middle Tennessee State University to promote the use of electric-vehicle technology. MTSU officials said the Nissan LEAF cars will be added to the university's motor pool. The charging stations will be available for use by students, faculty, staff and visitors on the Murfreesboro campus. For more details on the donation, visi thttp://mtsunews.com/nissan-leaf-donation.

The Telegraph: Peak cheap oil is an incontrovertible fact

"Peak Oil is in the headlines again. Greased by the Oil mass media would like you to think that everything could be kept as it is - but it is not true any more. More and more people understand this mega trend and energy transition will the 21st century investment game. Just look what people with money and vision do now, not only what they are talking about."

Peak Oil: DON'T WORRY, DRIVE ON: Fossil Fools & Fracking Lies

"In recent months we've seen a spate of assertions that peak oil is a worry of the past thanks to so-called "new technologies" that can tap massive amounts of previously inaccessible stores of "unconventional" oil. "Don't worry, drive on," we're told.

We can fall for the oil industry hype and keep ourselves chained to a resource that's depleting and comes with ever increasing economic and environmental costs, or we can recognize that the days of cheap and abundant oil (not to mention coal and natural gas) are over."

Lithium Catalyst: Tesla CEO Elon Musk: Half Of New Cars Will Be Electric In 15-20 Years!

"Antony Ingram reports on the very ambitious predictions by Elon Musk about the Electric Cars future. Tesla Model S is in the headlines this week after its launch and Elon Musk knows what he is talking about - breaking the spell that Electric Cars are not as good as the conventional ones. Tesla Model S is up to this task - next step is the cheaper Electric Cars which can bring the real mass market."

Charging EV in Canada Made Easy - Installing a level 2 electric vehicle charging station

Nova Scotia Power:

As the primary provider of electricity in Nova Scotia, we want to help facilitate positive experiences for customers interested in purchasing an electric vehicle. Some of the most common questions have to do with how the vehicles are charged and what's required to install a charging system. The video below will help answer some of these questions, and guide you through the process of installing a Level 2 charging station at your home or business.

Peak Oil: DON'T WORRY, DRIVE ON: Fossil Fools & Fracking Lies

"In recent months we've seen a spate of assertions that peak oil is a worry of the past thanks to so-called "new technologies" that can tap massive amounts of previously inaccessible stores of "unconventional" oil. "Don't worry, drive on," we're told."

Oil Shock - There's No Tomorrow.

  "This animation deserves to be posted one more time. Post Carbon Institute has produced a brilliant documentary "There Is No Tomorrow", which we highly recommend to watch everybody. You can personally judge our progress now."

Lithium M&A: Who Will Be Next? Battery demand fuels Rockwood's Talison Lithium buy

  

  

  As we have mentioned before, in this mega trend of Energy Transition driven by Peak Oil multiplied by Inflation - it is very important to cut all the noise fueled by Oil lobby and look what people with money and vision are really doing and not only what they are talking about.  China, Japan and Korea are all over the place making investments in Lithium developers for the last few years. There are only few credible companies left now for this consolidation stage and with every next deal the strategic nature of crucial supply of Lithium to fuel the Green Mobility revolution will be more and more apparent. By that time, when general public will be chasing everything with the word Lithium again - it will be the right moment to Sell. 

  Now, when lithium developers are  only trying to get their heads up from the Sell Off dust - it is time to study the story and pick up your own collection of lithium juniors. As usual, it will be very important to separate pump and dump from the real players. NRs about OTC traded "Lithium Companies" which are issued almost every day just to hit the search engines with the right key words will be the very good indications about what NOT to touch even with the very long pole. 

  What to look for? It is the same old values - Projects, Management and Partners to develop the next Lithium Targets. Capital is very scarce now for the juniors and who is backing the companies will be the most crucial at this stage.

  Just a few years ago, when we started to write about the Next Big Thing we had three major producers on our radar screen: SQM, FMC and Rockwood Holding. All of them are diversified chemical companies with majority of revenue coming from Potash and other fertilisers and speciality chemicals and some lithium. They were all quite a stretched proxy to play the Lithium game. Then Talison joined our party - as the most advanced pure lithium play with its hard rock lithium production in Australia. Juniors enjoyed the first crazy run in 2009 - 2010 with major industry players taking positions in the most promising projects.     

    

  We are writing here only about what we are following and do not have the intention to cover the comprehensive history of the lithium sector with all its investment opportunities. 

  Canada Lithium and Western Lithium were on our radar screens for a while - Canada Lithium has attracted interest of Japanese Mitsui, but management issues in that company at that time and Western Lithium's untested production from clay as source of Lithium moved our attention to Brines in Latin America and, particularly, Argentina. 

  We were not alone in our interest - Orocobre has secured investment from Japanese Toyota Tsusho; Talison has bought Salares Lithium to get Lithium Brine exposure;  Lithium Americas had investors from Japan - Mitsubishi and Magna from Canada; Lithium One had investment from Korean Kores and later J/V with Galaxy Resources from Australia; Pan American Lithium has attracted POSCO from Korea, Rodinia Lithium sold a stake to Chinese Shan Shan and then International Lithium was launched by TNR Gold with Ganfeng Lithium from China as Strategic investor.

  Now, after all major producers have increased Lithium prices lately, this acquisition of Talison by Rockwood Holding opens the doors to further consolidation among our junior lithium developers. From our personal collection Lithium One was taken out by Galaxy Resources this spring already.

  We are looking at the smaller players which could be subject to the M&A activity - we have a total disconnect between the asset value and the market valuation of these companies now. The risk is that they will never get enough capital to develop their project - the reward is the price multiple on those who can make it.

  Out of our favorite: International Lithium, Rodinia Lithium, Lithium One and Orocobre - Lithium One is taken out by the Galaxy already. Orocobre could become the consolidator in this junior development space and International Lithium and Rodinia Lithium could become the forgotten darlings for M&A dreams. Rodinia Lithium is more advanced with resource estimation, small stake from Shan Shan and recent creative financing of its Potash side of story. International Lithium enjoys increased stake of its strategic partner - Ganfeng Lithium, has found the highest in Argentina Potash grade on its Mariana Lithium-Potash Brine and announced financing and J/V LOI on its Ireland Lithium project. Talison buyout brings new angle on Lithium hard rock mining and can create the new opportunities for International Lithium with its projects in Ireland and Canada.

International Lithium Corp. Options Blackstairs Project Further Strengthening Ties With Chinese Lithium Producer Jiangxi Ganfeng ILC.v, TNR.v

Consolidation Potential for Lithium Juniors GXY.ax, LI.v, ILC.v, ORE.ax, RM.v

Lithium M&A: Galaxy/Lithium One merger completed

Reuters:

Battery demand fuels Rockwood's Talison Lithium buy

By Maneesha Tiwari and Bhaswati Mukhopadhyay
(Reuters) - Chemicals producer Rockwood Holdings Inc (ROC.N) agreed to buy Talison Lithium Ltd TLH.TO for C$724 million ($729 million) to expand in Asia and boost its output of lithium used in batteries for electric cars and cellphones.
Demand for lithium batteries has risen in recent years as they are more efficient and help cut carbon emissions. The rising popularity of smartphones, which need longer-running batteries, has also helped.
Talison supplied about 80 percent of lithium demand in China, the world's biggest autos market, the company said in January.
"The rationale for everything we do in lithium is to be ready for expected growth in electric vehicles that run on lithium batteries. There is also power tools like power drills and pharmaceuticals," Timothy McKenna, a spokesman for Rockwood, told Reuters.
Rockwood, whose peers include Kronos Worldwide Inc KRO.N, Sensient Technologies Corp SXT.N, WR Grace and Co (GRA.N) and Valhi Inc VHI.N, has said it expects battery-grade lithium products to show double-digit sales growth this year.
Lithium business accounted for 14 percent of Rockwood's June quarter sales of $905.6 million. Perth, Australia-based Talison's sale of lithium concentrate rose 8 percent to 365,545 metric tons (402,944 tons) in the fiscal year ended June 30.
Rockwood will control 55 percent of global lithium supply once the deal closes, David Davidson, an analyst at Paradigm Capital wrote in a note to clients. Talison had a 32 percent share of the global supply market, he said.
Princeton, New Jersey-based Rockwood said on Thursday it will pay C$6.50 per Talison share, a 53 percent premium to the stock's Wednesday close on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
"The premium reflects the quality of Talison, a pure-play lithium concentrate producer with a strategic asset and customer base, that either met or exceeded our own modeled expectations on essentially every metric quarter on quarter," Davidson said.
Talison shares rose 52 percent to an 18-month high of C$6.47. Rockwood fell about a percent to $47.09 in noon trade on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.
Rockwood plans to finance the acquisition -- its biggest deal till date -- using cash on hand and new debt financing.
Lazard advised Rockwood while Talison was advised by Macquarie Capital in Australia and Canada.
(Editing by Joyjeet Das and Sriraj Kalluvila)"

Please, do not forget, that we own stocks we are writing about and have position in these companies. We are not providing any investment advise on this blog and there is no solicitation to buy or sell any particular company

The Telegraph: Peak cheap oil is an incontrovertible fact

  Peak Oil is in the headlines again. Greased by the Oil mass media would like you to think that everything could be kept as it is - but it is not true any more. More and more people understand this mega trend and energy transition will the 21st century investment game. Just look what people with money and vision do now, not only what they are talking about.

Peak Oil: DON'T WORRY, DRIVE ON: Fossil Fools & Fracking Lies

"In recent months we've seen a spate of assertions that peak oil is a worry of the past thanks to so-called "new technologies" that can tap massive amounts of previously inaccessible stores of "unconventional" oil. "Don't worry, drive on," we're told.

We can fall for the oil industry hype and keep ourselves chained to a resource that's depleting and comes with ever increasing economic and environmental costs, or we can recognize that the days of cheap and abundant oil (not to mention coal and natural gas) are over."

Lithium Rush: The Art Of War In The Markets: China Getting Ready For 5 Million Electric Cars by 2020

"China has the money, political will and the technology to leapfrog into the post carbon world. Oil is the geopolitical issue already and it will define the sharp edge between the state of War and Peace in the nearest future. As one very wise and honest  person has put it: "How to stop wars and terrorism? - Stop using Oil." We will paraphrase it here: How to Survive? - Stop using Oil - at least for transportation.

  Electric Cars produce the one life time opportunity for China now - do not get us wrong, not everything is driven by the ancient wisdom of "The Art Of War", but just look at what people are doing and not what they are talking about.  It is the most apparent situation  in the strategic commodities markets - Rare Earths are already controlled by China, Graphite is under the siege and Lithium is the next frontier. Despite all noise in the media, China is steadily implementing its 12th Five Year Plan - to build the new strategic industry based on Electric Cars.

  We hope, that China is transforming "The Art Of War" into the Art Of Survival for the benefit of all, but the Western world which is teared apart by the latest financial structural crisis is falling dangerously behind now."

The Telegraph:

Peak cheap oil is an incontrovertible fact

If the looming global oil crunch has been postponed for another decade or two as widely alleged, this is far from obvious in today’s commodity markets.

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, International business editor

Brent crude jumped to $115 a barrel last week. Petrol costs in Germany and across much of Europe are now at record levels in local currencies.

Diesel is above the political pain threshold of $4 a gallon in the US, hence reports circulating last week that the International Energy Agency (IEA) is preparing to release strategic reserves.

Barclays Capital expects a “monster” effect this quarter as the crude market tightens by 2.4m barrels a day (bpd), with little extra supply in sight.

Goldman Sachs said the industry is chronically incapable of meeting global needs. “It is only a matter of time before inventories and OPEC spare capacity become effectively exhausted, requiring higher oil prices to restrain demand,” said its oil guru David Greely.

This is a remarkable state of affairs given the world economy is close to a double-dip slump right now, the latest relapse in our contained global depression. More

Peak Oil: DON'T WORRY, DRIVE ON: Fossil Fools & Fracking Lies - US House Report On Toxic Chemicals

Post Carbon Institute:

In recent months we've seen a spate of assertions that peak oil is a worry of the past thanks to so-called "new technologies" that can tap massive amounts of previously inaccessible stores of "unconventional" oil. "Don't worry, drive on," we're told.

We can fall for the oil industry hype and keep ourselves chained to a resource that's depleting and comes with ever increasing economic and environmental costs, or we can recognize that the days of cheap and abundant oil (not to mention coal and natural gas) are over.

Unfortunately, the mainstream media and politicians on both sides of the aisle are parroting the hype, claiming — in Obama's case — that unconventional oil can play a key role in an "all of the above" energy strategy and — in Romney's — that increased production of tight oil and tar sands can make North America energy independent by the end of his second term.

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The video script can be found here: http://www.postcarbon.org/blog-post/1083449-don-t-worry-there-s-plenty-of-oil

Yoko Ono: #DontFrackMe

Watch and Share The Movie The SKY Is PINK

DeGette Committee Investigation Discovers High Volume Of Toxic Chemicals In Fracking Fluids Used In Colorado

WASHINGTON, DC — Today U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1) joined her colleagues, Reps.  Henry A. Waxman and Edward J. Markey, in releasing a new report that provides the first comprehensive national inventory of chemicals used by hydraulic fracturing companies during the drilling process.   The report revealed extraordinarily high levels of carcinogens being injected into the ground on fracking projects all across the country, with Colorado having some of the highest levels in the nation.

“We recognize the need for alternative energy sources to power our nation, and natural gas plays a critical role in that effort, particularly in Colorado. However, it is deeply disturbing to discover the content and quantity of toxic chemicals, like benzene and lead, being injected into the ground without the knowledge of the communities whose health could be affected," said DeGette.  “Of particular concern to me is that we learned that over the four-year period studied, fracking fluids used in Colorado contained some of the highest volumes of carcinogens in the country, and some of the most toxic.”

The report was issued by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on which DeGette serves in leadership as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and it found that:                                                                                                                    

·         The 14 leading oil and gas service companies used more than 780 million gallons of hydraulic fracturing products, not including water added at the well site.  Overall, the companies used more than 2,500 hydraulic fracturing products containing 750 different chemicals and other components.

·         The components used in the hydraulic fracturing products ranged from generally harmless and common substances, such as salt and citric acid, to extremely toxic substances, such as benzene and lead.  Some companies even used instant coffee and walnut hulls in their fracturing fluids.

·         Between 2005 and 2009, the oil and gas service companies used hydraulic fracturing products containing 29 chemicals that are known or possible human carcinogens, regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) for their risks to human health, or listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.

·         In Colorado, between 2005 and 2009, oil and gas companies conducting fracking across the state used over 1.5 million gallons of fluids containing known carcinogens.  That puts Colorado second only to Texas in the highest volume use of fluids containing carcinogens in the nation.

·         The BTEX compounds – benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene – are SDWA contaminants and hazardous air pollutants.  Benzene also is a known human carcinogen.  The hydraulic fracturing companies injected 11.4 million gallons of products containing at least one BTEX chemical over the five-year period.

·         The study found that between 2005 and 2009, companies operating in Colorado injected into the ground over 375,000 gallons of fracking fluids that contained chemicals required to be regulated under the SDWA.  And the vast majority of those chemicals were the BTEX compounds – known carcinogens that can damage the central nervous system, liver, and kidneys.

·         Methanol, which was used in 342 hydraulic fracturing products, was the most widely used chemical between 2005 and 2009.  The substance is a hazardous air pollutant and is on the candidate list for potential regulation under SDWA.  Isopropyl alcohol, 2-butoxyethanol, and ethylene glycol were the other most widely used chemicals.

·         Many of the hydraulic fracturing fluids contain chemical components that are listed as “proprietary” or “trade secret.”  The companies used 94 million gallons of 279 products that contained at least one chemical or component that the manufacturers deemed proprietary or a trade secret.  In many instances, the oil and gas service companies were unable to identify these “proprietary” chemicals, suggesting that the companies are injecting fluids containing chemicals that they themselves cannot identify.

“This report makes clear that, unfortunately, voluntary industry disclosure is not enough to ensure the economic benefits of natural gas production do not come at the cost of our families' health.  The FRAC Act I have introduced would provide common-sense safeguards like required disclosure of the chemicals used in the fracking process, and subjecting fracking

During the last Congress, the Committee launched an investigation into the practice of hydraulic fracturing in the United States, asking the leading oil and gas service companies to disclose information on the products used in this process between 2005 and 2009.  This report reveals the results of those findings, and summarizes the types, volumes, and chemical contents of the hydraulic fracturing products used by the 14 leading oil and gas service companies.

The complete committee report is available online here."

Oil Shock - There's No Tomorrow.

  "This animation deserves to be posted one more time. Post Carbon Institute has produced a brilliant documentary "There Is No Tomorrow", which we highly recommend to watch everybody. You can personally judge our progress now."

Lithium Catalyst: China to boost electric car industry

Despite all doom and gloom China moves forward into electric space, road will not be always smooth, but watch what these people do - not what they are letting journalists to write about. China has secured supply of Rare Earths and Graphite and now is taking stakes in Lithium developers.

Lithium Rush: The Art Of War In The Markets: China Getting Ready For 5 Million Electric Cars by 2020

  "China knows too well the real price of Oil. All recent data points out that the spare capacity in Oil production is running dangerously low and any decreased demand from the developed world was immediately substituted by the rising demand from emerging economies."