vehicles

Better Place launches free electric car charging in Hawaii

Better Place is sweetening the deal for electric vehicle drivers and potential drivers by offering them free charging at its charging stations in Hawaii for the remainder of the year.

Through 2012, electric vehicle owners can sign up for a free membership with Better Place to gain access to the company's 130 charge spots on the state's chain of islands. Better Place operates 130 charge spots on four islands, including the Big Island, Oahu, Kauai, and Maui. Each Charge Spot has two charge points, enabling two cars to charge at the same time. But the best part is … Read more

Nevada gives green light to self-driving cars

Nevada wants to befriend robotic cars.

The state's legislature on Wednesday approved regulations for self-driving vehicles, the first state in the country to do so.

"These regulations establish requirements companies must meet to test their vehicles on Nevada's public roadways as well as requirements for residents to legally operate them in the future," Bruce Breslow, director of Nevada's Department of Motor Vehicles, said in a statement.

Nevada's DMV worked with Google, automakers, insurance companies, and law enforcement on the regulations. The department said that other states already have bills to allow self-driving cars and … Read more

Chrysler recalls 9,688 Dodge Charger police vehicles

Chrysler Group announced the recall of 9,688 Dodge Charger police vehicles built between 2011 and 2012, to change and relocate the ABS/ESC fuse and replace the headlamp jumper harness.

Some police vehicles were built with front headlamps that could experience a loss of low-beam operation as a result of an overheated bulb harness connector. Other vehicles may experience a loss of ABS/ESC as a result of an overheated power distribution module, Chrysler Group said in a press release.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Web site, "this could lead to loss of visibility and/… Read more

Wash. State senate passes bill to charge EV owners $100 annual fee

While some states are still rolling out rebates for the purchases of new hybrid and plug-in vehicles, the Washington State Senate on Saturday passed a new law to make electric car owners pony up an extra $100 annual fee.

The reasoning behind the law is that although electric vehicles use the same roads as gas-powered vehicles, the owners don't pay gas taxes because they drive right past the pumps.

The Associated Press reported that Washington's gas tax, which is 37.5 cents per gallon, is the state's largest source of transportation dollars.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. … Read more

A hydrogen fueling station powered by the wind

By building a wind turbine to power a hydrogen production and fueling station, a little hamlet in Long Island is positioning itself as the bellwether for carbon-neutral transportation.

The town of Hempstead, N.Y., on Long Island erected a 121-foot-tall turbine last December on the township's Department of Conservation and Waterways land to take advantage of powerful Atlantic winds and power the hydrogen and natural gas fueling station it built in 2009. The turbine can generate up to 180 megawatts of power per year, and presents an estimated hydrogen fuel and energy cost savings of $40,000 per year. … Read more

Kickstarter grounds Eye3 flying camera

Fancy having your own self-guided flying camera mount? One that could get your Canon dSLR soaring over your house and neighborhood for only $2,500?

Kickstarter fans would, so much so that they ponied up triple the $25,000 funding goal for the Eye3 hexacopter, powered by the open-source APM2 autopilot platform.

After all, flying drones, military and civilian, can record stunning footage for a lot less than the price of a helicopter camera crew.

But Kickstarter has poked its finger in the Eye3, pulling the plug on funding. … Read more

U.S.-backed battery firm Ener1 seeks Chapter 11 bankruptcy

U.S. government-backed battery supplier Ener1 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the third U.S.-backed energy company to file in as many months.

Ener1 posted a notice today stating that it "has reached agreement with its primary investors and lenders on a restructuring plan that will significantly reduce its debt." This action will pave the way for up to $81 million for recapitalization, the company said.

A "pre-packaged" Chapter 11 case was filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York. Ener1 is planning to complete the restructuring process within … Read more

Personal Rover is Segway's awkward cousin

Segways are expensive. If you don't want to drop $6,500 and you also don't want to have to walk anywhere, the Personal Rover Electric Transportation Vehicle will do the job for just $999.

The Personal Rover looks like the result of a mad scientist mating together a Radio Flyer Wagon, a skateboard, and a set of skis.

It sports an 800W motor that can carry a rider up to 12 miles at up to 15 mph. Steering is conducted with what looks like a couple of ski poles.

The Rover is made more for open areas than … Read more

Friday Poll: Will you buy an electric car?

Chevy sold 7,671 electric Volts last year, short of its expectation of 10,000. The car has gotten tons of publicity, but that hasn't translated into booming sales.

Even with a $7,500 tax credit dangling like a tasty carrot, buyers haven't flocked to electric vehicles like the Volt and Nissan Leaf.… Read more

Electric vehicles show their range in 2011 (video)

Electric cars like the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt may have gotten most of the attention this year but electric motorcycles also turned heads.

The year also brought innovations such as an electric vehicle that you can also use to power your house. SmartPlanet takes a look back at the evolution of EVs in 2011.

This video originally appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "Electric vehicles: 2011's hottest headlines."