Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged electric
2011 Chevrolet Volt
Jul 25th
“Is this the future?” more than one person asked upon checking out the Volt. “Is this the future of the auto industry?”
“No,” I replied. “It’s here now.” I wasn’t just being pedantic. In spite of its uncommon electric drivetrain, what’s most interesting about the Chevrolet Volt is how ordinary it is.
There’s a preconception that electric cars are little more than glorified golf carts, and the Volt should help to put that fallacy to rest for good. Powered by electrons instead of burning gasoline it may be, but the Volt is capable of handling day-to-day life just as well as a Cruze or a Civic. More >
2010 Tesla Roadster
Sep 25th
I have to admit, I didn’t think that they were going to pull it off. The history of the automobile is a long road that’s littered with the forgotten hulks of dream cars that were too good to be true, after all, so when an upstart company called Tesla announced in 2006 that it was going to produce the world’s first all-electric sports car, I was less than confident that it would ever see the light of day.
Thankfully, the company wasn’t waiting for my approval to hit the road. Tesla has delivered about 1000 Roadsters as of spring 2010, is making big plans for an all-electric family sedan to follow, has taken over Toyota’s NUMMI plant in California and now has seven dealers across the U.S. As for my opinion on the company’s veracity, I stand firmly corrected, and jumped eagerly at the chance to meet one. More >
2010 Xtreme Green EM60-A09 electric scooter
Jan 15th
I cruised down the block at 30mph, enjoying the wind on my face and the unique thrill of piloting an electric vehicle. My chariot of choice wasn’t a car or a golf cart, but a scooter.
Scooters aren’t the first vehicles to leap to mind when thinking of battery-powered transport; after all a Vespa’s pretty fuel-efficient as it is. Still, burning no gas at all is better than getting 100mpg, and so we decided to check out the all-new EM60-A09 scooter available from Las Vegas-based Xtreme Green Products. This fully electric, plug-in two-wheeler has a range of about 75 miles and will charge in about an hour. This makes it perfect for short commutes and suburban errands, all without burning a drop of gasoline.
The EM60-A09′s light weight makes it a handy alternative for RV living as well. It will fit on most ramp-style carriers, and is small enough to be stowed in the bed of a pickup truck if need be.
This is a young and energetic company; Xtreme Green Products initially designed a proprietary battery management system for electric vehicles, with the intention of installing it in personal watercraft. When the market for Jet-Skis began to dry up (no pun intended) with the economic recession, Xtreme Green realized that its electric propulsion system could be applied to two-wheeled transportation as well. The company also produces the “Sentinel,” a purpose-built three-wheeled electric vehicle designed for police and security company use.
In the Xtreme Green scooter, this system is applied to a 3500-watt, 60-volt hub motor whose lithium-ion battery pack is good for over 2000 charges, which translates to daily use for at least seven years.
About forty percent of the 310-pound curb weight is batteries, and the 60-volt lithium ion cells are mounted low in the chassis, keeping the center of gravity down near the ground where it should be. As a result, the Xtreme Green scooter is very stable and confident. It has no trouble keeping up with traffic on surface streets thanks to a top speed of around 50 miles per hour. Like many electric vehicles, the scoot has a single-speed transmission, but Xtreme Green equips the scooter with a three-position throttle switch that limits engine power. This makes it more efficient when high speed is not called for. For riders who need more capability, the Scooter has a bigger brother, the EM72-A09 X-Rider, whose more powerful 4000-watt, 72-volt motor and 65-mph speed qualify it as a full-blown motorcycle.
This is a new market segment, but the Xtreme Green EM60-A09′s looks aren’t particularly revolutionary. The Xtreme Green Motor Scooter is a gas-powered design that has been adapted for full-electric power. It’s not a conversion; the scooters are built in China as electric vehicles.
Front and rear-wheel disc brakes are standard, and include a regenerative function that trickle-charges the battery when they’re applied. It’s similar to the regenerative braking systems found on most hybrid and many electric cars. There’s a small storage bin under the seat, where the gas tank would be on an internal combustion-powered scooter, and Xtreme Green plans to offer a range of luggage racks and cargo boxes to increase the EM60-A09 versatility.
If you’ve got a short commute or are in need of economical auxiliary transportation, the Xtreme Green scooter will fill the bill nicely. Pricing starts at $6999 for the EM60-A09, and the X-Rider is $8495. Want more details? Check out the company’s website at http://www.xgpinc.com/.
