Volkswagen electric Bik.e crease up, can be charged via AC, DC currents

Electric bikes are no longer amazing we’ll just see at the gym. Volkswagen has unveiled their newest electric vehicle: the Bik.e, which actually lacks pedals and can be charged straight from a typical AC outlet.

According to AutoBlog Green, Volkswagen turned out their first form of electric transport at Auto China 2010. VW is set to reveal its first electric automobile in 2013. I guess it’s superior to start somewhere small first, such as with a two-wheeler.

But this eco-friendly black and white creation is not too scruffy. Not only does the Bik.e fold up into a flat disc to be effortlessly stored in the spare tire compartment of your trunk, it can also charge up via an AC outlet or DC current from a car.

As for speed, don’t expect to go as fast or as far as a car or even a usual scooter on the Bik.e. The distinctive distance range on a full charge is 12.5 miles, and the peak speed is 12.5 miles per hour. Not exactly something to use when in hurry, but absolutely a decent option for traveling to work, school or just around the neighborhood.

Given that this has only been spotted at a car show, there aren’t any official details on pricing or release plans around the world now yet, but optimistically this goes commercial soon. Although, then I’m forfeiting the amount of exercise I get from a usual, old bicycle.

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Ford Fiesta a game changer in world of diminutive, nimble rides

Europeans are lining up from Bulgaria to Brussels for this small road runner; Ford sold 69,000 Fiestas in Europe in March; Americans will get their turn this summer.

For decades, very small cars in the United States have lived modestly at the bottom rung of the automotive social ladder. Cheap, cheerful and decidedly inexpensive, these cars were classically undersized, underpowered and understyled.

But then exposure hit Americans: Gas costs money.

Now, high-mileage subcompacts have become trendy. Other than the sporty Honda Fit, most of the little cars have offered little more than reasonable price tag.

The Fiesta ends the subcompact trade-off many buyers converse themselves through at dealerships. Yeah, it's a slight noisy on the highway, the door sounds like I'm closing a breadbox, and my Rollerblades produce more torque, but my car payment is only 99 (euros, dollars, dinars, baht) a month.

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Four-vehicle Pr. George's collide closes road, injures at least 7

A Prince George's County fire official now says four vehicles were concerned in the crash that shut down Route 197, and seven people were transported to area hospitals with injuries.

The crash, fire department spokesman Mark Brady said, began as a head-on collision that attentive a man and a woman in their separate vehicles; they were transported to the hospital.

Five others, an adult female, juvenile male, two teenage males and on teenage female, were also hospitalized with slight injuries, Brady said. Three other adults were evaluated on the scene and declined transport to the hospital. It is unclear how those people are linked to the original crash.

Route 197 in the Bowie area is closed between Route 450 and Old Chapel Road after a five-vehicle collide in the area left as many as 10 people with injuries, police and fire officials said.

The crash happened at about 4 p.m. on Route 197 near Grason Lane, police said. It involved five vehicles, as well as a school bus without any students on board, police said.

A Prince George's County fire official Tweeted that the incident, which troubled multiple vehicles and entrapment, might have produced up to 10 patients, but no one on the bus was injured. A police spokesman said he could not directly confirm reports of injuries because medical personnel were still examining those on the scene.

The circumstances and cause of the crash stay unknown.

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GE, Nissan concur to research vehicle charging

General Electric Co (GE.N) and Nissan Motor Co (7201.T) on Monday announced a three-year agreement to jointly research development of charging stations for electric vehicles.

Nissan will debut the electric Leaf hatchback afterward this year in Japan, the United States and Europe. The Leaf's batteries will permit it to have a 100-mile range on a full charge, Nissan says.

The two companies say the work will centre on "smart" charging stations that would permit for communication with utility companies to ease strain on electric power grids. Finally, car companies and utilities hope that vehicles can form a power storage source.

Together with Nissan, we will take inclusive look at what technologies will be needed in the car, on the grid, and at home or work to make smart charging a reality, said Mark Little, director of GE Global Research.

GE and Nissan said they will in the next few months recognize specific projects for the new partnership.

Utility companies are working with home and business owners to install 220-volt charging stations what will charge electric vehicles more rapidly than the conventional 110-volt outlets in most U.S. homes.

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An AW Flash Drive-Ford Fiesta 2011

The Fiesta is Ford's much-hyped world-car entry into the small B-class segment in the United States, a slice of the market now populated by the Honda Fit, the Toyota Yaris and the Nissan Versa. B-class means it's lesser than the Ford Focus.

But the class itself has developed by more than 30 percent in the last decade independent of the price of gasoline, Ford says, and the Fiesta represents a chance for Ford to party down at the bottom of the size chart.

The Fiesta also portrays something of a gamble that downsizers looking to save either money, gasoline or the planet--or have their college-age kids do so--will embrace Fiesta's 30 mpg city/40 mpg highway mileage and $13,995 starting sticker, prices top out close to $20,000.

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Fleet-footed Ford speeds tech developments for superior work vehicles

From supplying Kraft Foods with 2,500 Fusions to foremost police fleet sales for 15 years, Ford is the main player in the fleet market--and it intends to keep things that way.

Fleet is not an awful word at Ford, said Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas. It's like anything else in life--done in moderation, it can be extremely healthy.

In 2009, Ford had the major share of U.S. commercial (32 percent) and government (44 percent) fleet sales. And according to Fields, those at the Blue Oval fully propose to maintain our leadership.

To do that, Ford will present fuel-efficient powertrains and sustainable technologies--including electric, hybrid, natural gas, propane, E85, biodiesel and EcoBoost--in its 2011 fleet lineup. That means fleet vehicles, from bakery trucks to cop cars, are receiving some of the automaker's preeminent technology.

Later this year, Ford will hit the market with an electric-powered version of the Transit Connect and a Transit Connect taxi that can run on compacted natural gas or propane. Ford's Escape and Fusion will also be obtainable with E85 capabilities for fleet customers.

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2010 Volkswagen Polo spy photos, dotted in Sydney this morning

An eagle-eyed CarAdvice reader has dotted the new 2010 Volkswagen Golf parked in a suburban Sydney street this morning.

The car, which appears to be a base model three-door, if the plastic wheel trims are anything to go by, shows the newest Volkswagen styling cues, as newly seen on Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Transporter models, have now found their way to the brand’s slighter offering.

The all-new Polo, which just won European Car of the Year, is obtainable overseas with a choice of six engines, ranging from 44 to 77kw, two body styles and three model grades. The lineup also comprises Polo BlueMotion, an ultra-fuel efficient 55kW diesel variant and high-powered Polo GTI version.

At this point, it is supposed Volkswagen Australia will offer the Polo in three guises: the 1.4-litre obviously aspirated 63FSI Trendline, 1.2-litre turbocharged 77TSI Comfortline and 1.6-litre turbo-diesel 66TDI Comfortline (with power output matching their names). Daytime running lights will be not obligatory across the range.

The 2010 Volkswagen will be released in Australia on May 6th and CarAdvice will bring you a First Steer bluntly following the launch, Stay tuned.

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