The Truth About Fracking

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..."

Electric Cars - You Will Finally Get Some Choice

  

  Seth Fletcher brings a very important point across - Electric Cars at this stage are all about the choice. Finally, you can have some choice at least with your own mobility. You can plug in and use Domestically produced relatively cheap electricity and support Solar, Wind and other forms of Green Energy at your choice of supplier. And now you know what happens If You Can't Plug Your Car In. More and more people are getting it and the recent hatred campaign against electric cars only confirms the trend. Gas prices are talking for themselves now. Saudi Oil is lost in translation if US and UK are pushed to open Strategic Reserves again and sell cheaper Oil to the happy Chinese buyers.

  Once technology improves, we will have the Switch - when consumers will be switching to the electric cars and create mass market. Demand is already there - we need just to have electric cars which will be better than ICE ones. "iPhone moment"for electric cars will come with the better range and low cost as promised by recent announcements about advance of Lithium Battery Technology and new marketing approach, when Lithium Battery is leased rather that sold with electric car. You will pay monthly fees for the lithium battery lease and all the trouble with warranty will be gone - you can exchange or upgrade your battery. In case of Renault ZE payments are promised to be in line with ICE cars: cars are priced as their "normal" ICE comparable models and your electricity and lease payments per month will be the same as for the Gas at this level, but with rising Gas prices you will get some additional gain.

  It is always very important to remember that at some point in the Gas prices you will be happy to drive Anything or, like in case of China, you are not allowed to buy any, but only electric car in Beijing now - unless you have won the plate lottery.

Lithium Wars in Congress: Oil Empire Strikes Back - GM Launches Chevy Volt Ad Campaign

"With 2011 coming to its end we would like to share these days major events from this year which will be defining our future. This future will be uncertain and unknown, but we can grasp the major trends already. It will be about the Energy Transition. This transition is not something that we just would like to do, but it is the only way to survive - it is what we have to do. We still can try and reverse the inevitable economic collapse and stop the Power Transition and biggest Wealth Transition in the mankind history."

POPSCI:

The Electric-Car Movement Enters A Quiet, Crucial Phase

The transition from novelty to normality

By Seth FletcherPosted 03.16.2012 at 11:43 am20 Comments

Electric-Car Alison Seiffer

Early this year, when it became clear that the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf had missed their 2011 sales targets, critics declared the electric-car revolution over. Yet at Detroit’s annual North American International Auto Show in January, plug-in cars abounded. BMW displayed its forthcoming i3 electric city car, along with its i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. Acura unwrapped a hybrid concept version of the NSX supercar. Tesla Motors brought its all-electric Model S sedan. But the most important car on the show floor might have been one that, on the surface, seemed much less exciting: the new Ford Fusion, which will be available in gasoline, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions.

Carmakers long refused to build plug-in cars because they said they had no idea how many people would buy them. Then, rising oil prices and environmental concerns led governments to enact stricter emissions standards and push carmakers to build cars that could meet those standards. In the U.S., the federal government lent several carmakers (not just GM and Chrysler) money to develop electric vehicles and retool factories.

Ford used part of its $5.9-billion loan to develop a system for building gas cars, hybrids, plug-ins and electric cars all on the same line. In a renovated Detroit-area factory, it will build gas and electric versions of the Focus compact car, along with hybrid and plug-in hybrid C-Max minivans. The company will use the same strategy for the Fusion.

Compared with the ambitious e-car launches of recent years—particularly those of the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf—Ford’s approach might appear noncommittal. But it could turn out to be transformative. It’s evidence that once the investments have been made, manufacturing electric cars isn’t all that hard. It’s a matter of adding a few assembly-line stations where plug-in cars get their batteries, electric motors and electronic controls. And when Ford and other automakers use the same lithium-ion batteries across a range of electrified vehicles, it will help reduce the cost of those batteries, pushing electric-vehicle sticker prices down and ultimately in line with conventional gas cars.

Drivers won’t just benefit from lower prices; they will finally get some choice. Picking a power train could eventually become as simple as opting for the premium sound-system package. And making that choice won’t have to be a lifestyle statement. Outwardly, the plug-in hybrid version of the Ford Fusion will be almost indistinguishable from the hybrid or conventional versions, with the exception of a charge-port door and a little badge that says “Energi.” Habituating Americans to the concept of plugging in should make it more likely that all manner of electrified cars receive a warm reception.

The debut of the Volt and the Leaf was just one phase of a long process. First came the high-profile launches and the saturation media coverage. Now it’s time for plug-in cars to slowly become normal, even boring—or, to put it another way, accepted."

Energy Storage: 20MW Lithium-Ion Battery Storage System For New York tnr.v, czx.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, sqm, fmc, clq.v, wlc.v, tsla, li.v, lit, nsany, rno.pa, bmw, f, gm, avl.to, ree, res.v, quc.v, dai, byddf

 Energy storage systems based on Lithium batteries will be another very important source of demand for Lithium. They will allow the integration of different sources of energy into the smart grid systems: like solar, wind and existing generation plants. With more and more EVs on the streets we can start to talk about Car to Grid technology as well, when smart grid can talk to the EVs and use the energy from the EV battery during peak hours when electric cars are parked at the office and charge the EV from Energy Storage facility at night. Energy storage can be charge during the day using solar and wind power among other sources of energy in this scheme.

20MW Lithium-Ion Battery Storage System For New York

by Energy Matters

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu last week announced the finalising of a USD $17.1 million loan guarantee to support the construction of a 20 megawatt (MW) energy storage system using advanced lithium-ion batteries.

Located in Johnson City, New York, the AES project will improve stability for the associated mains power grid and reduce carbon emissions by allowing for more renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.

"Bringing more efficiency and reliability to the grid will help cut costs for consumers and power a cleaner energy future", said Secretary Chu.

Grid frequency regulation is needed to balance power generation and consumption and is usually maintained by burning additional fossil fuels such as coal at power plants. Power plants become very inefficient when power output rapidly ramps in response to short-term variation in power demand. Up to 7% of the USA's electricity generating capacity is set aside to provide grid stability.

The AES project instead uses battery technology and new software that will provide the same regulation at a lower price.
 
The AES project will include advanced lithium-ion battery cells from A123 Systems, Inc.  The company says its Smart Grid Stabilization System (SGSS) can respond in milliseconds compared to power plants which can take minutes to respond to a call to vary their power output. The system frees up plant capacity to enable a power company to focus on the primary function of baseload electricity generation.
  A123 Systems says independent third party studies have found high-efficiency energy storage systems, such as the SGSS, for frequency regulation can reduce the associated emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide by as much as 80% over traditional power plant ancillary services.


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• Lithium Drive: GE to Purchase 25,000 Electric Vehicles From GM, Rivals by 2015 gm, tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Charge: Bloomberg: GE's Biggest Electric-Vehicle Order a 'Huge Step Up' tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Demand May Triple During Next Decade on Batteries, Orocobre Says ORE.ax, TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, TSLA, ALK.ax, LMR.v, SQM, FMC, ROC, TLH.to LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, ORE.ax, GXY.ax, HEV, BAT, AONE, VLNC, F, NSANY, BYDDF, DAI, RNO.pa, GM (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Demand: South Korea to invest 15 trln won in batteries to 2020 TNR.v, CZX.v, TSLA, HEV, AONE, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LIT.v, SQM, FMC, ROC, (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium and REE: Begining of the Bull: Jim Puplava with James Dines on Uranium, Gold and Rare Earths TNR.v, CZX.v, TSLA, RM.v, LI.v, CLQ.v, WLC.v, (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Sanyo eyes tenfold increase in lithium ion battery capacity tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Charge: Statement by Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Groundbreaking of BASF Advanced Battery Materials Plant tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Drive: Panasonic to acquire stake in Tesla Motors - Nikkei tsla, tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Honda Moves Hybrid to Lithium: Plug-in to be launched in 2012 TNR.v, TSLA, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LMR.v, GM, NSANY, RTP, F, HEV, AONE, BHP, (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Metal Polymer Battery from DBM Energy - Secret of The World Record With Electric Car Reviled tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• New York's new lithium-ion battery storage system will help to reduce carbon emissions (geteconow.com)
• A123 Systems to Supply Energy Storage Batteries in NY (matternetwork.com)
• A123 Systems to develop battery pack for new EV from SAIC (greencarcongress.com)
• Grid-Scale Energy Storage Market to Reach $35 Billion by 2020, According to Pike Research (eon.businesswire.com)
• New Study Urges Development Of Energy Storage (AES, AONE, BCON, AMSC) (247wallst.com)
• Peak Oil: Secretary of Energy Steven Chu: The Energy Race - a New "Sputnik Moment" tnr.v, czx.v, alk.ax, lmr.v, tsla, rm.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax, jnn.v, sqm, fmc, roc, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, lit, nsany, byddf, gm, dai, rno.pa, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)

Lithium Drive: Jay Leno picks up his Chevrolet Volt tnr.v, czx.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, sqm, fmc, roc, clq.v, wlc.v, tsla, li.v, lit, nsany, rno.pa, bmw, f, gm, avl.to, ree, res.v, quc.v, dai, byddf

  This is the future - according to Jay Leno and "Huston, we have a problem" - according to Steven Chu:

  U.S. secretary of Energy Steven Chu on Peak Oil and Energy. For our investment thesis and Next Big Thing it is the very important speech and comparing Peak Oil situation and Energy Security to "Sputnik Moment" by Steven Chu is very timely. We are advocating here for the state-level comprehensive plan to save America, like it is implemented now in China. Just listen to the US Secretary of Energy describing what China is doing now and how far it has surpassed U.S. already!

  We all need to waken up as with Russian Sputnik flying above us and implement complex electrification of our transportation with the same devotion and allocation of necessary resources as "Manhattan project" was done. This time it can save the world as we know it.

  Watch the second video from Cancun below, where Steven Chu talks about Oil as per IEA groundbreaking revelations about Peak Oil:  "Oil prices will be higher from now on."

Catalyst 2010:

"This year we have a staggering number of reports and warning on the looming Peak Oil situation. It takes time for reality to settle in, particularly, when nobody knows what to do with it. We have put REE in the headline and only few months ago we would have to explain, what is it all about - now suddenly everybody is talking about REE and stocks involved in Rare Earths are all making new highs. It takes a crisis for us to realise that fundamentals are driving the real trends. Sudden realisation that China controls more than 90% of REE market and their reserves maybe will last only for another twenty years, created the catalyst in the market place. What will it take to realise that we are running out of cheap oil? Another crisis?
  We are talking here about the powerful mega trend Inflation multiplied by Peak Oil situation - we have to move and readjust our society. Our Energy diet is not sustainable any more. We are lucky in a sense that there is technology available to us to survive the Oil Shock if we will all move fast - Electric Cars. It is our Next Big Thing and at the heart of this disruptive technology lie strategic commodities: REE and Lithium."


  The sector is very small - now is the time to find and pick up value among the hype, backed by strong  shareholders and based on solid portfolio of Lithium and REE properties. Headlines from China, Jim Puplava and James Dines are moving REE into the mainstream in the investment space now and Lithium will get its recognition one day as well. Only few companies left without strategic investors in the sector, when even only this catalyst can bring the transformation to the junior from a holding company into actively pushing into production developer. It will bring multiples to the dormant valuation.

  We will provide some links for the further homework here:

More on Peak Oil.

Magic battery from German start up DBM Energy allows to power an Electric Car for 600 km!

Why and How to invest in Lithium.

Lithium Bull: Rest Before The Charge.

Peak Oil: REE: Rare Earth Elements: Jim Puplava, Jack Lifton and James Dines

Rare Earth Elements explained.

  Our Top Picks from Lithium Bull: Rest Before The Charge have already enjoyed a very active M&A season, out of the two - Rodinia Lithium has already secured strategic investor and only International Lithium left for dating now. Among the strategic suitors are the same faces - people with money vs others with debt."

 Here are another groundbreaking revelations about Peak Oil and Climate Change now from U.S. Secretary of Energy!

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• Peak Oil: Lithium Drive with REE spin: It Will Take 131 Years To Replace Oil, And Time is to act now! tnr.v, czx.v, alk.ax, lmr.v, tsla, rm.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax, jnn.v, abn.v, res, mcp, avl.to, quc.v, cee.v, sqm, fmc, roc, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, lit, ns (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Catalyst: Peak Oil, REE and Lithium: The Next Oil Shock? TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, ALK.ax, LUN.to, REE, MCP, SQM, FMC, ROC, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, AVL.to, GXY.ax, ORE.ax, HEV, VLNC, AONE, F, NSANY, BGGF, GM, DAI, RNO.pa (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Charge: Statement by Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Groundbreaking of BASF Advanced Battery Materials Plant tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Drive: Roadfly.com - 2011 Nissan LEAF Electric Car Road Test & Review tnr.v, czx.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, sqm, fmc, roc, clq.v, wlc.v, tsla, li.v, lit, nsany, rno.pa, bmw, f, gm, avl.to, ree, res.v, quc.v, dai, byddf (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Drive: CBS Video Report on Launch of Volt & Leaf Plug-In Cars rm.v, tnr.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)
• Lithium Drive: Test driving Hertz's electric cars tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)
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• Lithium Drive: Test Driving a Renault Fluence Gen2 electric car in Paris! rno.pa, nsany, tnr.v, rm.v, lmr.v, alk.ax, tsla, sqm, fmc, roc, lit, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, res.v, ree, avl.to, nsany, f, gm, rno.pa, dai, byddf, hev, aone, vlnc (sufiy.blogspot.com)
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Tesla to deliver two electric vehicles to the world’s largest auto maker by the end of month TNR.v, TSLA, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, LMR.v, CLQ.v, HEV

In the end Toyota's investment in Tesla was buying time to market for Electric Cars. This is very encouraging news. Tesla's battery and power drive technology multiplied by Toyota's mass production facilities means a mass market for Electric Cars. Now we have more clues why Japanese trading houses are so active in Lithium market space.

"It is a very significant development not only for Tesla, but for Toyota and EV mass market evolution. Tesla has gained more credibility with this move and it is all about Tesla S model mass production. Roadster was making headlines, but not sales numbers. Tesla S promised to be a 5 seater with more than 200 miles range and price tag of 50000USD. It will not be able to compete with Nissan Leaf at USD25000 after federal tax rebate, but it is the move into right direction. Now apart from Mercedes, Tesla can count on Toyota's expertise in safety, mass production and cost control. Toyota way into EV space is not straight forward, it is the case when actions are more significant than words and sometimes words could be misleading. Toyota announced last September that after years of research they do not see Lithium batteries as a commercial choice for Hybrids at the moment. Lithium juniors crashed with the news hitting the wires. After that surprisingly Toyota place on display a few advanced models of Hybrids and plug-ins with lithium batteries an Frankfurt Motor show 2009. Toyota engineers at the show were talking about clear advantage for use of Lithium batteries. Later 2009 Toyota trading house took a stake in upcoming Lithium developer Orocobre Resources with lithium brine salar in Argentina. Now they have quickly moved into Tesla buying the time and expertise on lithium battery side and controlling systems. It has happen just weeks after the usual bashing of EVs and that Hybrids are the only way in the future."

Business Standard:

Tesla formalises Toyota deal, to deliver two cars

Reuters / San Francisco/nagoya/japan July 11, 2010, 0:00 IST



Electric car maker Tesla Motors said on Friday it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japanese auto maker Toyota Motor Corp to deliver two electric vehicles to the world’s largest auto maker by the end of month.

“Since our announcement in May, Toyota and Tesla engineering teams have made a lot of progress in a short amount of time and it is exciting to start seeing some initial results,” Tesla Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel said.



“The prototypes will combine Toyota vehicles with Tesla electric powertrains,” Straubel added.

Tesla had announced the partnership to develop electric vehicles with Toyota in May, but revealed in a regulatory filing that it had no formal deal in place with the Japanese auto maker.

The MoU was signed on Thursday, a Tesla spokesman said, but declined to reveal which Toyota vehicles the company was working on.

Earlier on Friday, Toyota President Akio Toyoda told reporters in Japan Toyota was interested in experimenting with Tesla’s approach of using lithium-ion battery cells developed for the electronics industry as a potential alternative to developing batteries tailor-made for its own vehicles.

“We’ll see which better meets the needs of consumers. We’re taking a multi-faceted approach,” Toyoda said.

Engineering teams from the two auto makers had been meeting and working on the prototypes, Tesla said. The comments represent the most detail the two companies have provided about the scope of a still-developing partnership with Tesla announced in May by Toyoda and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Meanwhile, Toyota was also continuing work on a battery-powered small car the Japanese auto maker planned to launch in 2012, senior executives said on Friday.

Toyota invested $50 million in Tesla in a private placement after the electric vehicle maker’s initial public offering (IPO) in June. After zooming 40 per cent on their first day of trading on June 29, Tesla shares have come back to earth and are trading around their IPO price of $17.

Toyota Executive Vice President Shinichi Sasaki said the world’s largest auto maker was open to other partnerships, like its Tesla deal, as it believed a number of alternatives to traditional gas engines could find a market in the next few years."

Powered by Lithium: All electric Renault DeZir to take on Audi R8 TNR.v, CZX.v, LI.v, RM.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LIT.v, TSLA, AONE, HEV, BYDDY, RNO, NSANY,

The more we have toys like this in the design studios the better: they will lead to the practical EVs on the streets and idea that somebody is spending money during recession on exercises with EV like this is very encouraging. Automakers are giving a very serious consideration to the Electric Cars now.

"In order to bring reality into the recent hype with Tesla IPO, we need EVs on the streets as soon as possible. Tesla's IPO showed that there is an appetite for the sector and nobody would like to miss it, we can be sure that it put Electric Fever on investor's radar screens. How the TSLA stock will behave before Model S will hit the road and company will continue its losses is another matter: we have addressed it in Electric Car Value Chain. In order to talk about EV mass market we need GM Volt and Nissan Leaf to be on the roads later this year. Electric Cars is a geopolitical play - who will be able to get off the Oil needle first China or U.S Corp? Obama knows it and he is pushing for new legislation, Big Oil will strike back for sure and here where people will be able to vote for real with their choice. What will be the adoption rate of EVs: one of Washing Machines or Mobile Phones one with an explosive growth? It will be the key to low profile small lithium development sector. Markets caps are so small that with one Tesla IPO you can get reasonable amount of control in the entire sector in Canada now. We do not think that it is for long any more. With Electric Cars available on the streets Lithium sector will pick up again into the next Bull Leg from recent consolidation stage. Not all wanna be in Lithium will make it and time is to pick the winners during the summer downturn. Scared Fed will help us with Catalyst as well: Helicopters are coming with cash again and markets will be probably saved again to fool investors with nominal returns. Watch the US Dollar for the answers as well."

All electric Renault DeZir to take on Audi R8?


Feast your eyes on Renault’s latest concept car. This absolutely gorgeous all-electric car has, in our opinion, more than a passing resemblance to the beautiful Audi R8. Named the DeZir the French car maker’s latest concept will be one of the stars of the Paris Motor Show in early October.

The DeZir project is the first to have been led by Laurens van den Acker, Renault’s chief designer, and marks the start of a sequence of concept cars that will provide an insight into Renault Design’s new vision for the future. It also lays the foundations for the styling cues of Renault’s forthcoming vehicles.

"DeZir is a statement of our new formal design language which conveys notions such as movement, sensuality and emotion through ideal proportions, in much the same way as an object whose forms have been honed by nature. The result is a warm, stimulating design that says ‘Renault’," explains Axel Breun, Renault’s Director of Concept Car and Show Car Design.

The DeZir is a two-seat coupe, with 21” tyres, and a range of some 100 miles on a single charge. DeZir’s front end features a full-width air-intake which strikes out either side of a large, vertically-positioned Renault logo that proudly displays the car’s brand pedigree. Meanwhile, the chrome finish of the lozenge contrasts with the dark aspect of the grille to express the statement still further. The air scoops situated at the outer extremities of the front air intake are a legacy of Renault’s formal styling language and form an integral part of the air intake’s design, as do the headlights which sit above these scoops.

The basic motor in the car is similar to that used in Renault’s soon-to-be-released range of electric cars (more information), although the engineers have improved both power output and torque, to 110kW (150ch) and 226Nm respectively.

Battery cooling is ensured not only by the air channelled from the front to the back of the car, but also – and above all – by the flow of air that enters through the lateral scoops concealed behind the aluminium panels on either side of the body.






The car also features a Kevlar body, tubular steel frame, energy regeneration system KERS (as seen in Formula 1), and one of the strangest interiors we’ve yet seen.

The Paris Motor Show is a biennial event, usually alternating with the Frankfurt Motor Show, which is held at the Paris Expo between 2-17 October. Let us know your thoughts on Renault’s eye-catching car in the comments box below.

Author: Richard Lawton, July 5, 2010

Powered by Lithium: Masdar's Evolving EV System TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, LMR.v, LIT.v, ORO.ax, WLC.v, CLQ.v, RTP, BHP, GDX, AUY, NEM, GG, RGLD, GM

"We were running on Oil for the last 100 years - what will be the next Energy basis for our survival? If we account all expenses for Oil and military protection of its supply Oil price is already well above 100 USD/barrel. Now BP Oil Spill national disaster will add billions to this price. Will Obama use this chance and move his Energy Security Agenda forward now, when time is running out with every barrel of Oil burnt in our engines? We are talking not only about our life styles and poor birds dying in the Gulf: we are talking about West as a society based on Oil addiction. It is not sustainable any more. There is no Cheap Oil any more left:"

Masdar has its own part of financial troubles with Abu Dhabi bailing out Dubai real estate meltdown, but technology for Personal Rapid Transit is very interesting. It is powered by lithium and addresses personal transportation in the cities where mass transit failing to deliver necessary personalisation. "Death of suburbs" with Oil above 150 usd per barrel will be pronounced too early: we have technology to address congestion and Peak Oil scenario. You can drive your EV to the mass transit parking lot on the outskirts of the city and than use mass transit or PRT for commuting insider of the city. How many cars are waiting on the parking lots during the office time and than traffic get jammed at the peak hours? Narrow streets in the cities are less likely to be prepared to accommodate the peak hours traffic than major transport systems outside the city border. It is futuristic and it will not come tomorrow, but here is another way to address personal transportation and congestion on the streets with EV based on unique ability of advanced lithium batteries to store energy on board of the vehicle produced somewhere else with economy of scale and environmentally friendly.

Video: Personal Rapid Transit and Masdar City PRT

Masdar's Evolving EV System

By EV World


Report on current state-of-the-art Personal Rapid Transit system.
The United Arab Emirates sits atop some of the Persian Gulf's richest oil and gas fields. It is the fifth largest OPEC producer. In 2008 it pumped just over 3 million barrels of oil per day, exporting 2.7 million. It's total estimated reserves as of 2009 stand at 97.8 billion barrels. Natural gas reserves are estimated at just over six trillion cubic meters. Its chief exports are, naturally, oil and gas, as well as dried fish and dates.

Obviously, the real money is in energy, rather than agriculture or fishing.

Abu Dhabi's 2009 GDP was just over $200 billion, making it the 52nd more wealthy country in the world. It's per capita income at $42,000 is the 17th highest, while 85% of it workforce is made up of expatriates, 78% of whom working the service sector. Despite an official unemployment rate of 2.4% (2001), nearly 20% of the population live below the poverty line.

At the current rate of oil extraction, the country theoretically has enough reserves to last it over 90 years. But rather than rely on just its fossil fuel inheritance alone, Abu Dhabi, the Emirates capital, is determined to transform itself into one of the leading centers for sustainable energy research and development. The focal point of that very 21st century initiative is Masdar, described on the company website as, "Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted initiative advancing the development, commercialization and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions…"

And the centerpiece of this effort is Masdar City, a planned community launched in 2006 and intended to run on renewable energy alone with a zero carbon footprint. Designed by London-based architects Foster & Partners Ltd., the six-square kilometer (2.3 sq-mile) combination city/industrial park and research institute was originally envisioned to be walkable with motorized transport provided by up to 3,000 personal transit pods -- all electrically-propelled by lithium batteries -- as depicted in the above video. Conventional cars were to be parked outside the perimeter of the city, which is located adjacent to Abu Dhabi's international airport.

Now, along with revisions in the overall master plan due to the economic downturn that saw hotel reservations in Abu Dhabi, for example, plummet 54%, the developers are now reconsidering the pod-only transport system, allowing for the possible inclusion of either some form of light rail and/or conventional electric cars into community.

The revised -- and scaled back -- plan is due out by mid-Summer.

Additional resources:"

EV market:GM adds four states to electric car rollout list TNR.v, GM, CZX.v, TSLA, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LMR.v, BYDDY, AONE, HEV, RTP, FCX, GDX, F

"We were running on Oil for the last 100 years - what will be the next Energy basis for our survival? If we account all expenses for Oil and military protection of its supply Oil price is already well above 100 USD/barrel. Now BP Oil Spill national disaster will add billions to this price. Will Obama use this chance and move his Energy Security Agenda forward now, when time is running out with every barrel of Oil burnt in our engines? We are talking not only about our life styles and poor birds dying in the Gulf: we are talking about West as a society based on Oil addiction. It is not sustainable any more. There is no Cheap Oil any more left:"

We have a great news for EV market from GM - extension of roll out markets for GM Volt. New York state will be particularly important in order to generate buzz along with California and Washington, announced earlier. In order to bring reality into the recent hype with Tesla IPO, we need EVs on the streets as soon as possible. Tesla's IPO showed that there is an appetite for the sector and nobody would like to miss it, we can be sure that it put Electric Fever on investor's radar screens. How the TSLA stock will behave before Model S will hit the road and company will continue its losses is another matter: we have addressed it in Electric Car Value Chain. In order to talk about EV mass market we need GM Volt and Nissan Leaf to be on the roads later this year. Electric Cars is a geopolitical play - who will be able to get off the Oil needle first China or U.S Corp? Obama knows it and he is pushing for new legislation, Big Oil will strike back for sure and here where people will be able to vote for real with their choice. What will be the adoption rate of EVs: one of Washing Machines or Mobile Phones one with an explosive growth? It will be the key to low profile small lithium development sector. Markets caps are so small that with one Tesla IPO you can get reasonable amount of control in the entire sector in Canada now. We do not think that it is for long any more. With Electric Cars available on the streets Lithium sector will pick up again into the next Bull Leg from recent consolidation stage. Not all wanna be in Lithium will make it and time is to pick the winners during the summer downturn. Scared Fed will help us with Catalyst as well: Helicopters are coming with cash again and markets will be probably saved again to fool investors with nominal returns. Watch the US Dollar for the answers as well.

Sify:

GM adds four states to electric car rollout list

2010-07-02 06:40:00

Texas, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will join the states where General Motors will roll out its electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, GM CEO Ed Whitacre announced Thursday.

The debut list originally included Washington, D.C., California and Michigan. GM expects to quickly run short of Volts when the cars go on sale in November.

Austin will be the first Texas city where the Volt will go on sale because it is known as an environmentally conscious place, Whitacre said.

"This is a new technology. This is green. This is electric," Whitacre said. Other Texas markets will get the car shortly after Austin, likely in 2011, he said.

Whitacre drove up to a downtown Austin hotel in a Volt, which can travel 40 miles on pure-electric power. After that, the small gasoline engine will kick in to generate power for the electric motor.

The distance the car can travel will eliminate the "range anxiety" some consumers have with electric cars, Whitacre told an Austin chamber of commerce audience.

GM expects the Volt to sell briskly from the start, Tony DiSalle, the car's marketing director, said in a webcast on Thursday.

"We understand that we'll be short early, but we'll continue to market the car," he said.

The automaker plans to produce 10,000 Volts by the end of the 2011 calendar year and an additional 30,000 in 2012.

Volts will be sold first in California, Washington, Austin and the New York City metropolitan area, DiSalle said. They'll arrive in Michigan, New Jersey, Connecticut and the rest of Texas and New York in 2011. The Volt will be available in all 50 states 12 to 18 months after its launch, DiSalle said.

GM will require Chevrolet dealers selling Volts to keep one in the store for customers to view and drive even if there's high demand. They also must have certified Volt specialists in sales and service, as well as a 240-volt charging station in the dealership, DiSalle said.

The Volt will have electric car competition shortly after it goes on sale. Nissan Motor Co. plans to start selling its Leaf all-electric car in December. The company says it will get up to 100 miles on a single charge. The Leaf has no backup engine on board and must be recharged after its batteries are depleted before it can travel again. But it also uses no gasoline.

The four-door hatchback Leaf will have a base price of $32,780, but it's eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, making it closer to $25,000. The Volt is expected to cost around $35,000, or $27,500 with the tax credit, although pricing has not been announced.

Whitacre said that to call attention to the rollout, the Chevrolet Volt will embark on a four-day "Freedom Drive" from Austin to New York.

Whitacre told the Texas audience GM has made progress financially over the past year.

"For starters, we're making money again. That's an important milestone for the new General Motors," he said.

General Motors Co. emerged from U.S. government-led restructuring last July. The automaker plans to conduct a public stock offering that's at the heart of the company's revival.

The U.S. Treasury Department has said it expects to sell some of its 61 percent stake in GM when the company goes public. The initial public offering could happen as early as October. It's expected to be among the largest initial public offerings in U.S. history.

GM has said the IPO may occur in late 2010 or early 2011, and Whitacre said Thursday he had no updates on when it will be. Despite a still sluggish economy, he said this is a good year for a public offering.

"We're aiming for it as soon as we can get there," he said. "We have some things that we have yet to do. I can't have a date, but I think this is a good year to do it if we can get everything done. I think this is a great year."

___

Auto Writers Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report from Detroit"

Lithium Drive: Hybrid Electric Cars Likely To Attract 50 Million Potential Buyers TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LMR.v, HAO.v, ABN.v, LIT.v,

C.S. Surprise, surprise: 50 million - this number will make Electric cars the Next Big Thing with explosive growth rate. Nobody knows for sure, but it is our big IF - What if people decide that it is Cool to Drive an Electric Car? Please note the place of Asia in this estimation: it is demographic situation multiplied by disruption technology to address the Peak Oil scenario. We have a downside risk as usual: Deflation can still grip its power, but with scared G20 leaders RBS is calling now for QE and run of printing press at unprecedented level sighting "the best paper ever written on Depression" by Mr Bernanke. RBS was spot on the money before the crises (it did not help them anyway) and now we have them backing our case. After all the years betting "against the FED" we are putting our bets on the FED and its final resource. Situation is so bad in the Western banking system and with sovereign debt, that there is no other way than to Inflate our way out of the debt and keep all Insolvent system running preventing collapse. In case that we will not end our lives living in caves we will need to cope with much higher Oil prices and it is even more explosive than Bull market in Gold from 2002: we are talking not about wealth preservation, but about food on the table in five years time. With Oil solidly above 80 USD per barrel our Lithium squad will start its second leg up. European debt scare will pass with new amount of Liquidity pumped into the system: pockets of growth will benefit exponentially with flood of money fighting for the yield. Tesla's IPO brings big players into the sector and news wires into action and ignites Electric Fever. Lithium Rush will be next to follow.

Survey: Hybrid Electric Cars Likely To Attract 50 Million Potential Buyers

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- The plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are likely to attract about 50 million drivers globally, said a survey by Ernst & Young's Global Automotive Centre.

In a statement here Friday, Ernst & Young said over 25 per cent of the drivers surveyed across the US, Europe, China and Japan said they would likely consider buying PHEVs as soon as they were available on the market.

The survey said nearly seven per cent of the respondents indicated they would definitely consider buying a PHEV, it said.

"Applying each market's percentage of those who said they would definitely buy to the number of registered drivers in each region results in a potential early adopter group of approximately 50 million drivers globally, over half of which are in China," it said.

Ernst & Young Global Automotive Leader, Mike Hanley, said the survey showed that PHEVs and electric vehicles had the opportunity to make a significant entrance into the global automotive market over the next few years.

"Even if only a small portion of the survey respondents who said they would definitely consider one of these vehicles are serious, there will still be more than enough demand to sell out the estimated 2010 and 2011 production runs of the major and new vehicles manufacturers," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Electric Fever: Tesla prices IPO above range at $17 a share TNR.v, CZX.v, LMR.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, SQM, FMC, ROC, F, NSANY, BYDDY, HEV, AONE, FCX, GM

Tesla was able to price its IPO at the high band and is raising now more than double the amount announced before - it is a very good appetite for the first public Electric Car play. Will be interesting to see trading today in these kind of markets. Will Lithium plays be able to define the gravity as well in their trading now? Word about electric Mobility is out and Tesla will be the best PR campaign now.

MarketWatch:

Tesla prices IPO above range at $17 a share

By V. Phani Kumar, MarketWatch

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Silicon Valley-based electric-vehicle maker Tesla Motors Inc. said Tuesday it had priced its much-awaited initial public offering at $17 a share, above the planned $14-$16 range.

Earlier in the day, the electric car maker had increased the number of shares for the IPO by 20% to 13.3 million shares, of which insider holdings will constitute 1.4 million shares.

MarketWatch

Tesla logo outside a showroom in Chicago.

Tesla said that those selling shareholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1.995 million common shares to cover for any over-allotments.

The price implies an issue size of $260 million, including the possible sale of any additional shares to cover the over-allotment.

The shares are slated to begin trade Tuesday under the ticker TSLA.

Tesla, whose top-end Roadster model sells for more than $100,000, was founded in 2003 by Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and Chief Technical Officer J.B. Straubel. It has yet to turn a profit.

Nonetheless, the stock is likely to attract a cult following, said Scott Sweet, senior managing partner of IPO Boutique. Read full story on Telsa IPO."