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GM focuses energy on gas-electric model

General Motors unveiled a gas-electric prototype, the Chevrolet Volt – a plug-in vehicle that could get 150 miles per gallon.

It’s a step in the right direction; however, they admit that the technology for the lithium-ion battery (similar to the ones used in cell phones) will take years to develop.

It was GM who produced the EV1. The article says that the EV1 didn’t survive the decade. According to the film “Who Killed the Electric Car”, the drivers of the EV1 loved driving them; they where quiet, clean, inexpensive to run and looked sporty. But GM refused to sell the EV1 (they would only lease them) and against the driver’s wishes, destroyed them when their leases were up. We highly recommend seeing this film, “Who Killed the Electric Car.”

There’s no need to wait for an electric car. We know of at least two companies selling them. Emission-free and exciting, the electric Tango T600 is designed to beat most sports cars in the quarter mile with acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in just 4 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph! From the Commuter Cars Corporation, www.commutercars.com.

The all-new, zero-emission sports car, the Tesla Roadster is taking orders for fall of 2007. This car also goes from zero to 60 in four seconds, goes about 250 miles on a charge and costs about a penny a mile to drive. Go to www.teslamotors.com for more information.

If you would like to learn about the history of the electric car and Nikola Tesla’s contribution to the development of the electric car, this website has a very interesting article www.keelynet.com/energy/teslafe1.htm. According to the website, Tesla had invented a device to run an electric car without ever being charged. “In 1931, under the financing of Pierce-Arrow and George Westinghouse, a 1931 Pierce-Arrow was selected to be tested at the factory grounds in Buffalo, N.Y…It is speculated that Nikola Tesla was able to somehow harness the earth's magnetic field that encompasses our planet. And, he somehow was able to draw tremendous amounts of power by cutting these lines of force or causing them to be multiplied together. The exact nature of his device remains a mystery but it did actually function by powering the 80 h.p. A.C. motor in the Pierce-Arrow at speeds up to 90 m.p.h. and no recharging was ever necessary!”

Wow!

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