As electric vehicles begin to find their way to peoples driveways and garages, knowing what's involved with charging up the batteries becomes more necessary. Over the years, electric vehicles (EVs) have used different kinds of batteries and employed different types of chargers and connectors, so the car that you buy next year may not work with the charger you picked up on eBay last month. While in the future charging may be as simple as parking in your garage or driveway and having an automated system take over, the here-and-now requires you know a thing about chargers and connectors. Hit the jump to read more about how to get hooked up.

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If you harbor a fondness for bizarre-looking three-wheeled electric vehicles and are looking for a good excuse to visit Poland, this may be your lucky day. The re-engineered SAM is now for sale in that Central European Republic and has been dubbed the Re-Volt. Those familiar with the project might remember it was expected to be available through the SAM website a couple months back but, for whatever reason, that site is not yet live.

The price to start turning heads (and possibly create panic) on the streets of Warsaw is now set at 60,200 Polish zlotych ($20,780, about 14,000 Euros). That figure includes, among other things, the 7 kWh Kokam lithium ion battery as well as an on-board charger, electric locks and heat. For a reasonable number of extra zlotychs you can upgrade the audio system to a Blaupunkt, get heated seats, a reverse camera with LCD display and alloy wheels. If you want to try before you buy, you can sign up on their website for up to 2 hours of wheel time. If you do go for a test drive, you can expect to get about 60 miles (100 km) of range and a top speed of 55 mph (90 km/h). The Re-Volt also features a two-stage brake regeneration system that kicks in lightly when the foot is removed from the accelerator and more forcefully when the brake pedal is depressed. If you can't make it to Poland in the near future, you can at least content yourself with an ample gallery of pics below. Enjoy!



[Source: Re-Volt]

What do you get when you exchange the 2-stroke gas engine on a Go-Ped for a 4-stroke propane-powered piston popper? Why, a Pro-Ped (of course!) You also get rid of almost all the particulates and carcinogens that burning gasoline produces as well as the mess and bother of mixing gas and oil that 2-strokes require. Patmont Motor Werks (PMW) has hooked up with LEHR, the maker of the propane power plant, and is now offering the cleaner fuel choice on both their two-wheeled GSR Sport Go-Ped and their 4-wheeled (and appropriately named) Go-Quad. LEHR's products have received the EPA Clean Air Excellence Award and have the approval of the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

The top speed on both vehicles is a parent-friendly 21 mph and have a range of about 20 miles at half throttle. They can handle up to 400 lbs and supplying the propane is as easy as twisting on a fresh canister. To help celebrate their 25th anniversary of building family fun products in the USA, and perhaps get some Pro-Peds and Pro-Quads under some Christmas trees, PMW has chopped $100 off the price and are now offering the "high-visibility eco-green" machines for $499 and $699 respectively. Go ahead and read more about them at their website.

*Update: Added video of Pro-Ped start-up procedure and demonstration after the jump.

[Source: Patmont Motor Werks]

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After retracing the Detroit-to-DC bailout-begging route taken earlier this year by auto execs, two intrepid souls dispatched by electric motorcycle maker Brammo have finally successfully accomplished their "Shocking Barack" mission. Sort of. While the dream of personally presenting the POTUS on the White House lawn with a slightly used Enertia powercycle bearing a lovingly-painted "Yes We Can" motto and an American flag may have fallen somewhat short, the pair has opted for a plan B C D E that can't possibly fail. Somewhere in the wilds of Washington they have chained one of their bikes to a pole and have mailed Mr. Obama the keys to both padlock and bike along with a letter explaining themselves. While we haven't decided if this tactic is sheer brilliance or whether the boys have had a little too much exposure to the elements the past couple of weeks, one thing is clear; they have already achieved a certain measure of success in bringing attention to electric motorcycles, and more specifically, the Brammo Enertia.

While driving hundreds of miles through rain, cold and dark of early evening, the two have encountered a veritable legion of souls in the many towns they have quietly entered. They have presented their story personally to these folks while asking for a socket to plug into or a couch to sleep on, while at the same time reaching thousands more with a constant barrage of tweets and steady flow of YouTube videos. They have changed the mind of a committed Harley owner and have even had Brammo CEO Craig Bramscher invited to a meeting in the White House (with other captains of industry) where he got to give a short spiel in the presence of the Secretary of Energy, Stephen Chu. Though whether or not Barack will be shocked, as it were, is still undetermined, we invite you to hit the jump to watch video of their last ditch attempt and read the text of the letter to the Prez.

[Source: Shocking Barack]

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Looking back, 2009 may be seen as the year that electric motorcycles began their rise to market dominance. If that is to happen, the start-ups in that sector will have to be successful in the execution of their various business models. What they are trying to do with the motorized two-wheeler is more revolutionary then evolutionary and so their approach to the market must be distinct, perhaps diametric to that of the companies that currently occupy the landscape. In a series of articles at Asphalt & Rubber under the caption Tradition is Not a Business Model, Jensen Beeler talks with the heads of Zero Motorcycles, Brammo, MotoCzysz and Mission Motors about their views on the topic. The posts discuss the company's ideas about engineering, education, identity and platform design that is quite insightful and worth the time spent reading.

Even if motorcycles really aren't your thing, it's interesting how the principles discussed are also easily applied to other types of electric vehicles. Before you immerse yourself in this thought-provoking series though, hit the jump for a great video by vlogger Paul Maverick showing part of Brammo's business plan in action as potential customers check out their product at the El Segundo Best Buy with (mostly) positive results.

[Source: Asphalt & Rubber]

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Could it be that Tata is expecting to move lots of Indica Vista EVs when they bring them to the market, beginning with Norway later this year? If the tea leaves are being read properly, then yes. A short press release from the American offices of the South Korean battery maker Energy Innovation Group Ltd. (EIG) announces that they will supply their lithium polymer cells to Miljøbil Grenland AS, the Indian giant's Norwegian subsidiary until 2012. The agreement anticipates as many as two million of the large formats cells being shipped in that time frame which, we think, translates to thousands of cars.

Of course, Electrovaya is already a battery supplier to Miljøbil Grenland but according to that company they need a bit more time to put up a new factory in Norway where Indica gliders are currently being shipped for drivetrain integration. Eventually, at least some production of the car will shift to the UK which recently granted (after taking its sweet time) Tata a £10 million loan to enable it to build the car there. The EIG press release awaits your scrutiny after the break.

[Source: Green Car Congress]

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You might call Mike Boxwell something of a Reva fanboy. Not only is the British electric vehicle advocate (and solar electricity author) a proud G-Wiz owner, he is also the force behind Reva Car Club, an internet forum based around the company and its products. Being such a big-time booster, it's little wonder that when Mike traveled to the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show where Reva's new models were being debuted, not only could he get a one-on-one interview with CEO Chetan Maini, but he also snagged a chance to drive their new NXR before any fancy-pants auto journalists. So what does he think of this new, possibly America-bound, electric offering? He likes it!

Before heading for Germany, Mike took it upon himself to try out Ford Ka, so as to have something to measure the NXR against and in almost every way the Indian electric matched up quite well. Fit and finish was comparable, with the materials in the interior of the Reva being somewhat snazzier. Our enthusiast also found the NXR to be a lot more roomy than the Ka both in the front seats and back. The only place the Ford seemed to excel was the satisfying "thunk" of the closing door, though Boxwell was assured that this and other minor details would be improved before actual production. You can read Mike's written review at Reva Car Club and hit the jump to watch the video of his NXR first-drive as well as his interview of Mr. Maini interspersed with shots from inside both the NXR and their sporty NXG.



[Source: Reva Car Club]

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Looks like Silicon Valley is home to yet another start-up electric car company, this one with an eye to bring a roadster to market with a low-$40's price tag. That's Chevy Volt and Coda EV country! SABA Motors is just a few short weeks from finishing its first prototype and plans to compete next year with many of the other electric car companies head-to-head for the Progressive X-Prize and possibly the TTXGP as well.. While its website claims the company is currently in stealth mode, the "Carbon Zero" recently made an appearance at Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Global Climate Summit, where CEO Simon Saba got some face time with the Governator to discuss his vehicle.

While we don't have too many details about the car, we can tell you that one of the keys to its speed and range performance will be its light weight. The two-seater has an aluminum chassis with carbon-fiber body work. Currently powered by lithium batteries from ThunderSky, its range is said to be between 120 and 140 miles and there are also suggestions out there that it may be battery-swap capable. Simon Saba puts its 0 to 60 time "in the range of 5 seconds" though interestingly, our source article puts it below 4. Whatever the case, it should be interesting to see how things develop and we look forward to seeing video of it on the road. For now we can offer up a few minutes of footage with Mr. Saba's Hub Culture interview where he discusses his project after the jump.


[Source metroactive / SABA Motors via Tesla Motors Club]

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Will trains and cars become the voyaging version of peanut butter and chocolate? Perhaps. Better Place is partnering with DSB, Denmark's largest rail service provider, to offer an electric car sharing service at its train terminals. The project will begin next year with a pilot program at the stations in Høje-Taastrup (pictured above) and Skanderborg. These are seen as great places to start because, not only are they a good distance apart, but they both serve the largest population centers in the country; the East Jutland metropolitan area and the Copenhagen metropolitan area. Also included in the collaboration are charging facilities that will coordinate with the smart grid to supply as much renewable energy as possible for both private and shared vehicles.

If it all works as envisioned, travelers can book their train ticket and reserve an electric car at their destination at the same time. Besides reducing emissions and highway congestion, the service also affords time and space for people to do things besides stare at the highway ahead of them, yet offers them independent mobility where they need it. Hit the jump for a Better Place video demonstrating the idyllic version of this car2train2car experience as well as the official press release.

Source: Better Place via Green Car Congress]

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Despite a supplier problem delaying the deliveries of its Zero S and a recent recall of its Zero X and MX, Zero Motorcycles has managed to make good in one of the arenas that counts for a lot with vehicle manufacturers: the race track. The French Motorcycle Federation (FFM) just held its annual motocross event at Gironville, France, and for the first time included rankings for electric machines. It had looked like only riders astride Quantya bikes would be racing but two weeks before flags were dropped, Zero Motorcycles' European importer caught wind of the competition and managed to put together a team featuring Thomas Aubrey aboard a Zero MX. You may recall that the first meet up between the two brands didn't go so well for the Santa Cruz company. This rematch would certainly even the score.

The electrics ran amongst a field of about 40 bikes, mostly 250 and 450cc's, in two qualifiers and two races with the MX easily ranking ahead of the Quantya Tracks in the electric category with Julien Bréant and Adrien Goguet taking 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the first heat, none of the battery-powered machines finished due to a very short period between warm-up and the start that left little time to charge up their packs.

As the day wore on though, results steadily improved and the electrics were moved up to class "D" from "E". In the second heat Aubrey finished in top half of the field in 13th place, but as his position vis-a-vis his electric competitors became more clear, he seemed to become more relaxed and really hit his stride. The first of the final races saw him take 5th place and starting to get the attention of the thousand or so spectators. When the team had arrived, the electric "novelty" was on the receiving end of friendly jokes but as it moved up in the standings, the kidding was put aside.

The last race was the clincher. Thomas got a great start, moving from 13th position to 5th by the first turn on the "Prairie" style course. Moments later, there were only two raucous gassers ahead and when the checkered flag finally dropped, it was Aubrey on the Zero MX that felt the flush of victory. The result brought his ranking for the day up to 3rd in D class but more than that, it opened a lot of eyes to what may lie ahead. Next year's motocross racing could become very interesting as other makers, such as KTM, start to field electric entries of their own. We're looking forward to it.

[Source: Motorbiker.org / FFM via Plugbike]