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All-Electric Car by Nissan to Go on Sale in 2010
www.voanews.com ^ | 05/13/2008 | By VOA News

Posted on 05/15/2008 10:17:52 AM PDT by Red Badger

The motor of Renault-Nissan's electrically-powered vehicle, built on the Megane model, is shown to the media in Tel Aviv, 11 May 2008

Record high oil prices and sluggish sales are forcing the world's biggest automakers to turn to electricity to power their vehicles.

Nissan Motor Company is the latest automaker to move in that direction, officially announcing Tuesday it plans to introduce an all-electric vehicle for sale in the United States and Japan by 2010.

Nissan's chief executive officer says the company will mass-market electric cars globally by 2012.

Nissan also forecast its profits will decline by 30 percent this year to $3.4 billion compared to $4.6 billion last year.

Nissan, Japan's number three automaker, joins Toyota and Honda in predicting smaller profits, as car buyers shun fuel-thirsty vehicles.

The senior editor of the Web site GreenCarAdvisor.com, John O'Dell, tells VOA many auto industry executives will be watching Nissan to see if its electric car venture succeeds. He says Nissan is trying to become the market leader by being the first major automaker to promise - and deliver - an all-electric vehicle for sale in a large market by a certain date.

The associate editor of the Web site WardsAuto.com, Mike Sutton, says the announcement is "fairly significant," but Nissan's move is mostly about market positioning.

Sutton tells VOA that other major automakers are also planning to introduce electric-powered vehicles in 2010.

American car company Chevrolet plans to introduce the Volt, a plug-in hybrid, in 2010. And Toyota says it will unveil the next generation of Prius hybrid vehicles the same year.

Hybrids use less fuel than conventional vehicles because they combine a gasoline engine with high-tech batteries and electric motors.

Chrysler, Mitsubishi and Subaru are also working on electric cars.

Fuel-efficient vehicles have recently been the lone bright spot for the auto industry. Toyota says sales of its hybrid cars have jumped 42 percent in the past year. Some dealerships in the United States say they have waiting lists for would-be buyers.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: auto; battery; electric; energy; hybrid
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To: gaijin

Plugging in at night, something like 70% of the United States vehicles could be charged using the current infrastructure.


41 posted on 05/15/2008 12:30:51 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: weegee

Just wait till they start the “Londonistan” tax. You have to pay a fee to get your car into the city everyday!...........then pay to park it somewhere!.......


42 posted on 05/15/2008 12:32:48 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: org.whodat
How much will the extension cord sell for????

Not a problem. Just stick a generator in the trunk, fire it up for a couple hours to recharge. Oh, and carry some gas for the generator.

43 posted on 05/15/2008 12:33:49 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: Red Badger

You have to wonder how the Tesla roadser can get 200 miles on a charge and no other company can get anywhere close.


44 posted on 05/15/2008 12:36:03 PM PDT by Bob Buchholz
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To: dan1123

Has anyone ever noticed the similarity of the B2 bomber and Batman?

Both came out at the same time.

Coincidence? I think not!


45 posted on 05/15/2008 12:38:44 PM PDT by BunnySlippers (Buy a Mac ...)
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To: Bob Buchholz

You have to wonder if Tesla is being a bit over selling their product. Why isn’t it on the showroom floors all across the USA?.........


46 posted on 05/15/2008 12:43:10 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: fish hawk
we go to electric which is made by the use of oil

Very little electricity is made from oil. Much of the petroleum that is used is petroleum coke and residual oil. These are refinery "leftovers" after the gasoline, diesel and other fuels are removed from the crude oil.

U.S. Electric Power Industry Net Generation, 2006

EIA, Electric Power Annual
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

47 posted on 05/15/2008 12:47:27 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: Red Badger

Because they just went into production, the entire model year is sold out prior to them being built. Not that many are being made. Nobody paying that price wants their car to sit around at the dealership after they already paid for it.

http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=841


48 posted on 05/15/2008 12:50:04 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: thackney
I don't know much about how electricity is made around the county but here in Hawaii %99.9 of it is by the use of oil. Thank you for the illustration, it really helps me to understand. Aloha
49 posted on 05/15/2008 12:52:52 PM PDT by fish hawk (The religion of Darwinism is dying. Thank God!)
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To: thackney

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2016474/posts


50 posted on 05/15/2008 12:53:38 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: Red Badger

Tesla Motors opened its first dealership in Santa Monica, Calif., on Friday, (May 2) attracting a gaggle of reporters.

http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9935829-54.html?tag=nefd.only


51 posted on 05/15/2008 12:53:41 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: Uncledave
I'm waiting for the return of the Stanley Steamer!


52 posted on 05/15/2008 12:54:58 PM PDT by COBOL2Java ("We are slayed. The party is dead--dead--dead!" - Whig Rep. Lewis Campbell (and so will go the GOP))
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To: thackney

It makes you wonder, if Tesla and Fiskar can do this, why can’t GM-Ford-Chrysler-Toyota-et al, do it?...............


53 posted on 05/15/2008 12:58:22 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: Bob Buchholz
What other company is selling electric cars costing $109,000?

If dollars are not a concern, I would believe the others could do it as well. Tesla uses a high quality, but relatively standard design 18650 form-factor, Li-ion cell. About the size of a AA battery. The catch is they use 6,800 of them.

54 posted on 05/15/2008 1:03:50 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: Red Badger

For $80,000 to $109,000 they probably could as well.

But that isn’t a market sized to support many customers.


55 posted on 05/15/2008 1:06:21 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: dragnet2
Next the power companies will quadruple their rates telling us demand has exceeded production. Between cooling your home in the summer, and charging your car, it’ll now cost ya $1900 per month.

Just what I was thinking.

56 posted on 05/15/2008 1:10:41 PM PDT by VideoDoctor
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To: Red Badger; All
The electric mini is awesome. I read about it here on FR first:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/2060724.006/pml-builds-640hp-electric-mini

The previous article I read stated it has a diesel generator.

how do you highlight a link?

57 posted on 05/15/2008 1:12:45 PM PDT by BBell
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To: fish hawk

Hawaii is developing quite a bit of wind energy, which makes sense for that area given the cost of importing diesel. What are retail rates there, something like 40 cents/kwh?


58 posted on 05/15/2008 1:13:33 PM PDT by Uncledave (Journalists resent bloggers for the same reason prostitutes resent nymphomaniacs)
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To: Red Badger

Anybody can build a few garage specials and be a star on the internet.
Cranking out hundreds of thousands at an affordable price while making a profit is a bit tougher.

As for plug-ins, I’m sure our govt is working hard on a phalanx of new affordable nuclear electric plants to supply the need /sarcasm off


59 posted on 05/15/2008 1:13:48 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: fish hawk
Actually Hawaii is 90% Petroleum. Y'all are just messing up the curve for the rest of us. I guess ease of transportation is the main reason. I would have thought you used more coal however. I feel sorry for what your electric bills must be doing.

For more than you want to know, 10 years of data for each state and type of producer and type of fuel:

Net Generation by State by Type of Producer by Energy Source
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/generation_state.xls

60 posted on 05/15/2008 1:15:46 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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