Plugs and Cars

JULY 12, 2007

The Detroit News Autos Insider column today is reporting on Congressional efforts to promote plug-in hybrids and the backlash from the automakers. Toyota made the car, the Prius, that made plug-in conversions possible, and now they are trying to rein in the desires unleashed. Whatever it's called, it's got Toyota in a tizzy.

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Plug-in Congress Plug Auto 100

Plugs and Cars

APRIL 19, 2008

Stefano Paris, plug-in car and renewable energy supporter and renaissance man, has made a video of Plug In America's rally in Sacramento outside CARB last month. Check out the video, and his extremely useful website on plug-ins here.

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Sacramento Plug-in Plug America 100

Plugs and Cars

JULY 31, 2008

Once again, a conference on plug-in cars. Plug-in 2008 in San Jose, California witnessed a noon-time address by new heavy-weight convert, Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel. I wish I knew what’s holding Gore back from full-throated support for plug-in cars. Coming on the heels of the Google/Brookings event in Washington, D.C.,

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Plug-in Al Gore Plug Gore 100

Plugs and Cars

APRIL 9, 2007

Barbara Boxer attended a Silicon Valley Alternative Energy Summit today and PG&E was there with its plug-in hybrid Prius. The modified Toyota Prius was plugged into a into a standard PG&E meter outside Advanced Micro Devices's Sunnyvale headquarters. I hope Sen. Boxer had an epiphany.

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Plugs and Cars

APRIL 27, 2007

InsideGreentech reports that Toronto Star reporter Tyler Hamilton posted on his personal blog that battery maker A123 Systems has acquired Canadian plug-in converter Hymotion. It would certainly be a good thing for A123 to have a reason beyond its relationship with GM to be interested in making batteries for plug-in cars.

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Plugs and Cars

JANUARY 4, 2007

GM today announced two contracts to "design and test lithium-ion batteries" for use in the Saturn Vue Plug-in Hybrid announced last month at the LA Auto Show. Johnson Controls/SAFT, the huge battery company at which President Bush first publicly announced his support for plug-in hybrids, received one contract.

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VUE Saturn Plug-in Nickel Metal Hydride 100

Plugs and Cars

APRIL 11, 2007

Editor & Publisher reports the NY Times has taken delivery of a long-awaited plug-in hybrid Sprinter Van from Daimler/Chrysler. Tags: sprinter David Pogue plug-in hybrid chrysler epri. It will perform everyday duties. I hope David Pogue gets down there to check it out.

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Plug-in EPRI Plug Hybrid 100

Plugs and Cars

JANUARY 20, 2007

In the wake of the Chevy Volt presentation by GM, my "plug-in hybrid" google alert has filled my inbox with reports from other automakers about their PHEV projects. You can't keep such a good idea as plug-in hybrids down, but it can be delayed. The buzz about the Volt has generated automaker PR reactions.

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Plugs and Cars

JULY 17, 2007

The long awaited report assessing the environmental impact of plug-in hybrids undertaken by the Electric Power Research Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council will see the light of day on Thursday morning in Washington DC. Tags: plug-in partners plug-in hybrid chevy volt.

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Plug-in EPRI Plug Hybrid 100

Plugs and Cars

FEBRUARY 25, 2007

Toyota increasingly devotes precious energy contained in hybrid batteries charged with expensive gasoline to higher power output rather than efficiency. Toyota's own "Question of the Month" in the Hybrid Synergy View Newsletter , asked. To it's discredit, they seem dedicated to being second and probably best with plug-ins.

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Plug-in Toyota Hybrid Plug 100

Plugs and Cars

MAY 19, 2007

Simply put, as the first sentence of the article states, [W]hen consumers understand what plug-in hybrids are, they want them. Tags: ethanol plug-in hybrid flex-fuel. All that's needed, the survey discovered, is a dollop of education. Wonder why? The answer is contained in another part of the survey.

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Plug-in Plug Hybrid Industrial 100

Plugs and Cars

APRIL 25, 2007

UQM Technologies announced today it will supply plug-in hybrid systems as well as all-electric drive systems for Phoenix Motors' sport utility trucks. Tags: plug-in hybrid phoenix motor cars uqm technologies.

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Phoenix Plug-in Plug Hybrid 100

Plugs and Cars

JANUARY 20, 2009

The Alliance for Climate Protection, Al Gore's group, has taken another step toward promoting plug-in cars (all electric cars and plug-in hybrids) with its RePower America campaign. Tags: barack obama repower america al gore battery electric car plug-in car alliance for climate protection.

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Gore Al Gore Plug-in Climate Protection 100

Plugs and Cars

MARCH 1, 2007

The Defense Hawk Frank Gaffney and Environmental Entrepreneur Felix Kramer are brought together by the logic of plug-in cars. Tags: CalCars Frank Gaffney Plug-in Hybrids Felix Kramer. The best local news report I've seen on the subject.

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Plug-in Plug Hybrid New York 100

Plugs and Cars

JULY 7, 2007

Ford Motor Co and Southern California Edison, provider of electricity to 13 million, are set to announce something Monday relating to plug-in vehicles. Tags: Ford electric car plug-in hybrid southern california edison. Reuters has a first report.

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Plug-in Ford Plug Hybrid 100

Plugs and Cars

FEBRUARY 5, 2007

Bush proposes $81 million, which includes $17 million for plug-in hybrid battery grants. Plug-in hybrids and electric cars built with the best possible, most economic, available-now technology. Tags: autobloggreen plug-in hybrid fuel cell hydrogen. billion program expires next year." We need cars.

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Plugs and Cars

JULY 5, 2007

Despite the Prius ads pushing an anti-plug-in message, many are waiting for a hybrid that can plug in to cleaner, cheaper domestic electricity. Daily Economy Fuel Tip surveys why people don 't buy hybrids now. Daily Economy Fuel Tip surveys why people don 't buy hybrids now.

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Plugs and Cars

JULY 25, 2007

From today's NY Times Toyota to Test Plug-In Hybrid, Rivaling G.M. It want CARB to authorize aftermarket conversions of hybrids with its Lithium batteries. Tags: a123systems Plug-in Hybrids toyota.

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Nickel Metal Hydride Plug-in Conversion NiMH 100

Plugs and Cars

DECEMBER 13, 2007

As presently consitituted, the Senate bill drops the requirement of electricity generators to achieve 15% renewable sources, but includes higher CAFE standards and major provisions for plug-ins, including conversions. It also creates a 20 percent tax credit for consumers who convert their vehicle to a plug-in, or up to $2,500.

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Plug-in Plug Tax Credit Energy 100

Plugs and Cars

JANUARY 9, 2007

In Stockholm and LA it was just the BioPower 100, a 100% ethanol fueled hybrid. A premature press release identified it as a plug-in, but that was withdrawn and the plug was not to be found. Although Plenty magazine identifies it as a plug-in, nothing in the press material I found confirms this. Don't hold your breath.

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Plugs and Cars

MARCH 23, 2007

Interest in plug-in cars of all sorts is real and growing. took an image beating when it backed away from a pledge to put 250,000 hybrids on the road by 2010. Arguably, the Prius hybrid halo has enabled Toyota's more recent play for the American's profitable big SUV and truck market. Last year, Ford Motor Co.

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Volt GM Plug-in Plug 100

Plugs and Cars

NOVEMBER 29, 2006

1 auto maker is accelerating its efforts to meet the challenge by being the first to offer a plug-in hybrid and by expanding its production of biofuel vehicles. He didn't give a time frame for the plug-in, but said it will take "several years" to bring one to market. Tags: GM plug-in hybrid Saturn.

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Saturn Hummer Plug-in GM 100

Plugs and Cars

OCTOBER 22, 2007

Popular Mechanics got a look and briefing on Toyota's own plug-in Prius. And we have to use the battery we know best, in terms of overall performance," said [Yoshitaka] Asakura [Project General Manager of Toyota's Hybrid Vehicle System Engineering Development Division.] And they said it couldn't or wouldn't be done.

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Nickel Metal Hydride Plug-in Toyota Plug 100

Plugs and Cars

OCTOBER 27, 2007

Required reading: Bill Moore's EVWorld review and Martin Zimmerman's LA Times piece about their test drives of the Toyota Plug-in Prius and the hydrogen fuel cell Highlander FCHV. It also spreads doubt about the enviro bona fides of plug-ins. Cold starts mean more pollution. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to offer solutions.

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Plugs and Cars

JULY 19, 2007

UCS advocates relentlessly for cleaner gasoline vehicles and dismisses plug-ins of all sorts, the Sierra Club strikes deals with Ford to promote a few thousand gasoline-dependent hybrids in exchange for advertising dollars, and the NRDC jumped on the biofuels bandwagon just as the cost of corn ethanol became impossible to ignore.

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Plug-in EPRI Plug Sierra 100

Plugs and Cars

JULY 19, 2007

Green Car Congress reports Toyota to Obtain Permission for Public Road Test for Plug-in Prius in Japan. Tags: plug-in prius toyota.

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Plug-in Toyota Plug Prius 100

Plugs and Cars

JANUARY 6, 2007

With an Auto Show overview article dated tomorrow, Sunday, Jan 7, the New York Times becomes the first publication to name the much-anticipated GM plug-in hybrid vehicle. says the Volt, a plug-in hybrid, could deliver the equivalent of 150 miles a gallon.

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Volt Chevrolet Plug-in Plug 100

Plugs and Cars

FEBRUARY 23, 2007

The Detroit News reports that an all-electric pickup and a plug-in hybrid will pay a visit to the White House today. A123 Systems , a much larger company which is providing batteries to GM for possible use in the Vue and Volt, will be showing off a plug-in hybrid powered by its Lithium batteries.

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Plug-in VUE Phoenix Plug 100

Plugs and Cars

JANUARY 7, 2007

Amidst the well-deserved hoopla about GM's plug-in serial hybrid Chevy Volt , Ford is touting its own equally ugly plug-in hybrid concept car. Ford has interestingly chosen to ride the plug-in hybrid wave with the Airstream announcement. Honda may yet stick a plug on its FCX.

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Plug-in Volt Plug Ford 100

Plugs and Cars

SEPTEMBER 14, 2007

They did an excellent issue of their magazine analysing the pros and cons of hybrids, plug-ins, electrics, bio-fuels of all types and hydrogen with a Consumer Reports type objectivity. They are mounting a campaign to move the automakers away from ethanol and toward plug-ins.

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Plug-in America Plug GM 100

Plugs and Cars

MARCH 2, 2007

is working on developing a plug-in hybrid vehicle and is open to joining with other automakers in battery development. Echoing its American counterparts Ford and GM, Toyota bemoans the unavailability of batteries which will take their plug-ins half as far as their own electric cars could manage just 5 years ago.

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Plug-in Toyota Plug Tundra 100

Plugs and Cars

FEBRUARY 23, 2007

Fuel-saving gasoline-electric hybrid cars don't save as much fuel as thought, according to new government fuel-economy ratings available to the public for the first time. The Ford Escape hybrid, which uses a gasoline-electric drive system similar to Toyota's, goes down about 12 percent.

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Prius 2008 Plug-in Plug 100

Plugs and Cars

NOVEMBER 30, 2006

Lots of ink on GM's plug-in hybrid announcement. With headlines like "GM Promises Plug-in Hybrid," Waggoner's statement in LA moves plug-in cars back into the public discussion of petroleum alternatives. George Bush, oilman, seems to understand the commonsense benefits of plug-in hybrids.

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Plug-in GM Plug Hybrid 100

Plugs and Cars

FEBRUARY 26, 2007

PhysOrg.com reports on Xcel Energy 's study (with the Dept of Energy NREL lab) on the potential effect of plug-in hybrids on the electrical grid and emissions. Xcel Energy announced the results of a six-month study related to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and how an increase in their popularity may affect Colorado.

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Plugs and Cars

JULY 25, 2007

Toyota's plug-in Prius comes out of the closet. Tags: plug-in prius plug-in hybrid. No translation needed. Take a look.

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Nickel Metal Hydride Prius Plug-in Plug 100

Plugs and Cars

JUNE 26, 2008

Instead of biting the bullet and facing the need for plug-in cars quick, "solutions" put on the table by the presidential candidates wouldn't have an impact as soon as required to meet carbon and petroleum reduction or national security goals. It was January 2nd this year when oil hit $100 for the first time.

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Plug-in Oil Plug Congress 100

Plugs and Cars

NOVEMBER 8, 2007

Thanks to Plug In America 's predecessor DontCrush.com , about 1000 of those cars still drive today on the original batteries using existing electric infrastructure. However plug-in cars, both plug-in hybrids and electric cars are seeing a resurgence. Every car maker has announced intentions to plug something in.

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