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Zoe charges in

8/17/2013

Electric cars are no longer coming, they're here. The all-electric Renault Zoe is cute and affordable. I enjoyed driving it at a recent Renault driving day, and talking about the future of electric cars with the product manager Ben Fletcher, see earlier post from 2 July. Sadly I can't have one because I can't park close enough to my home to plug it in.
Here's my report for Beauty and the Dirt, see the Zoe on the Home, left, and its own page, right. Click here to read the story.

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The electric car gets glamorous

7/31/2013

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Sienna and Jame get flirty

Of course he gets the wheel, but then she couldn't drive in those heels

Hollywood A-listers Sienna Millar and James Franco added some genuine glamour against a stunningly fake backdrop to launch BMWs new electric car, the i3.
   They really were in London, at the launch in Old Billingsgate Market, on July 29.) BMW joining the battery pack is a sign that electric cars are coming, and gaining acceptance - just so long as government grants and tax structures keep on supporting them.
   The i3 is the size of an average supermini, and it's been designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle. It uses the first-ever mass produced Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) passenger cell in the automotive business, to make it strong for safety and super-light for fuel efficiency.
    It's propelled by a 168bhp electric motor, which drives the rear wheels, and its vital statistics are: top speed 93mph; 0-62mph 7.2 seconds.
   More important to potential owners, it has a range of between 80 and 100 miles in normal driving — more in the Eco Pro modes. For those needing occasional longer runs, a range-extender version of the car includes a 34bhp two-cylinder petrol engine to charge up the battery pack. (The car is still always driven by the electric motor.)
   Once you've plugged in your i3, a full charge takes eight hours, so it's ideal if you can leave it to charge overnight ready for short commutes during the day. Public charging stations are growing in number, but even fast chargers take 15-20 minutes.
   Realistically the all-electric i3 would make a great second car. I would suit me fine, I could drop hubby at the station, do the shopping and collect him most days, but take the other car for longer trips.
   It costs £30,680, but the Government chips in £5000, taking the cost down to £25,680; comparable to a top-of the range Nissan Leaf, but around £10k more than a Renault Zoe. BMW's i Wallbox, can be installed at your home for an additional £315.
   To take away the concern about the life of the battery, BMW offers a lease deal. It will also offer some days in a conventional vehicle.

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Woman driver tackles Pikes Peak - in an electric car

4/16/2012

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Off-road racer Beccy Gordon

The racer Beccy will pilot up the steep, rough track

Rear view of the electric challenger

Professional SCORE International off-road series race-winning driver, Beccy Gordon, will hammer up the terrifying Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on July 8 in an 100% electric Mitsubishi i race car.
   Beccy comes from a racing family, her brother Robby had a distinguished career in Indy and NASCAR; her sister Robyn was the first woman to score an overall win in the Baja 1000;her father Bob was a longtime off-road racer and great-grandfather Huntley was an Indy car driver in the early 1900s. Beccy's husband, Ryan Hunter-Reay, drives for Andretti Autosport in the IZOD IndyCar Series.
   She said "I am very excited to be part of this challenge and also to drive a 100% electric-powered car since this type of vehicle will likely play a major role in both our daily transportation and motorsports in the future.
    The Mitsubishi i-MiEV Prototype race car features an enhanced Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle (MiEV) electric motor, lithium-ion battery pack and braking system. Engineers and researchers from Mitsubishi Motors and numerous EV component and systems suppliers will be on hand to record and analyze all the data gathered.

French Rally driver Michele Mouton proved pretty handy up Pikes Peak, winning the event in 1985 and setting a new record in her Audi Quattro.

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Zoe charges in

The electric car gets glamorous

Woman driver tackles Pikes Peak - in an electric car

Woman Driver

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