Build Your Dreams

A plug-in hybrid – an electric car with an onboard generator (aka “range extender”) – was available to the Chinese public eight months before the Chevy Volt could be purchased in America. In fact, the BYD F3DM had been available for purchase by Chinese government agencies and corporations since its official release in December, 2008 […]

Electron Bug

e·lec·tric·i·ty /əˌlekˈtrisədē/ noun 1. a form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles (such as electrons or protons), either statically as an accumulation of charge or dynamically as a current. 2. a state or feeling of thrilling excitement. In the case of the ZelectricBug, both definitions apply. Tesla, and other modern electric vehicles […]

Et Tu Brutus?

References to Julius Caesar end. The story of the world’s most eclectic electric motorcycle brand begins. BIRTHPLACE: Henderson, Nevada. Salivate over these photos from BRUTUS – the V2 Rocket / the V9 / Brutus 2 / Brutus 2 Cafe ABOUT The Road Electric

Electrovair II

In 1966, Chevrolet created the Electrovair II concept car. It was an all-electric car that would go 40-80 miles before recharging, and had a top speed of 80 mph. Note that a specialized silver zinc battery pack was used. This promotional film details the engineering features and technological advancements of the Electrovair II, an electrically powered version of […]

Bolt vs Volt

The Chevy Volt is inherently practical at this point in our journey. It’s a rare consumer who can survive with only a short range, all-electric vehicle. Not being able to make it from Portland to Salem (Oregon) or Burbank to Victorville (California) limits ownership to families with a second vehicle, urbanites with eclectic tastes and […]

Fisker Failing, Detroit Rising

Henry Ford didn’t revolutionize the automotive industry by launching one of the most expensive cars on the market. But in 1908, the technology was simple and the marketplace in its infancy. Nonetheless, the “car for the great multitude” was priced for success and more than 15,000,000 were sold. Fisker faced a much different world when […]

Care to Exchange A Proton or Two?

Which makes more sense: recharging a plug-in electric vehicle using the established electrical grid, or building a massive infrastructure to dispense hydrogen for fuel cell-powered vehicles? I remember back in 2000 when everyone was suggesting it was the latter. Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells were all the rage, and I was watching one company in […]