Gas is Dead! Here Come the Electric Cars

General Motors is at the forefront of Electric Powered cars with the Chevy Volt. Well now Cadillac has joined the fray with the Converj. This Cadillac is billed as an E-REV or extended-range electric vehicle and is able to go up to 40 miles on electric power alone. Once this range is exceeded, an on-board generator (which is powered by flex fuel) kicks in and charges the batteries. This system will calm the nerves of those who are worried about the 40 mile range.

The Converj is on par with the new line of Cadillac thinking. The body styling is absolutely gorgeous, the car is loaded with all kinds of luxury items, and there is a ton of technology in this car. This is exactly the kind of thing American Car makers need to do if they want to survive!

See the Largest selection of new Cadillac cars at Chicagoland Cadillac Dealers.

Better Late Than Never! Hyundai Joins The Hybrid Race.

Hyundai’s new LPG Hybrid car will be coming to dealerships in mid 2009. Hyundai has recently become the world’s 5th largest automobile maker, and is now poised to join the ranks of the big boys. Better late to the party than never, Hyundai’s LPG will not only be a liquid petroleum gas powered vehicle; it will also be powered by the next generation hybrid batteries. “Lithium-Polymer batteries have significant advantages over lithium-ion batteries including higher energy density, lower manufacturing costs, being more robust to physical damage and they can also take more charge-discharge cycles before storage capacity begins to degrade.” (http://www.motorauthority.com/news/technical/liquid-petroleum-gas-and-lithium-batteries-to-power-hyundais-first-hybrid/)

Hyundai is using is great knowledge of LPG fueled vehicles to keep the price of this hybrid 40% lower than its competitors hybrid cars. And according to Hyundai; the extra saving on fuel will offset the more expensive price of the hybrid model over the base Elantra in 2 years time.

Way to go Hyundai!

Sources: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/jul2008/bw20080710_182945.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_lifestyle
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/07/09/hyundai-hybrid-first-to-have-lithium-polymer-battery/
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/technical/liquid-petroleum-gas-and-lithium-batteries-to-power-hyundais-first-hybrid/

Why This Lotus Is Groundbreaking!

At the British Auto Show in London; Lotus unveiled the next step in environmentally friendly cars. The Lotus Eco Elise goes one step further than regular earth friendly cars. While most manufacturers are concerned only with tailpipe CO2 emissions; the Eco Elise jumps ahead of the pack by being built with sustainable materials.

The paint will be water based. The interior will be comprised of bio-degradable materials. The seats, panels, and trim will all contain hemp, eco-wool and sisal. The hardtop will contain solar panel to help power the electrical system.

This car will not only be more environmentally friendly, it will also kick some tail on the track. The usage of these sustainable materials ensures the sportiness of the Eco Elise by further reducing the already feathery weight by another 70 lbs. And in car performance terms, that is a big plus!

Lotus itself has also cleaned up its act. “Dramatic improvements to the culture and operations at Lotus has rewarded the company with staggering reductions in energy (Electricity 14%, Gas 30%) and water (11%) consumed across the Hethel headquarters in 2007, compared to 2006. These advances have coincided with improvements in recycling, with 57% of waste product now being recycled.”
(http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars/2008/top-2008-Lotus-Eco-Elise.htm)


http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=128807