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GM, ABB rewire Volt battery for backup power

General Motors and grid equipment supplier ABB this week showed an early version of an energy storage system using battery packs from the Chevy Volt electric car.

The two companies are partnering to build a prototype which they say can be used either for large-scale grid storage or backup power for consumers. They estimate that 33 repurposed Volt battery packs could supply 50 U.S. homes for four hours during an outage or brownout.

Batteries lose their storage capacity over time, but used car batteries are still viable for grid storage. GM estimates that once used car batteries have 70 … Read more

New York adds 70 electric vehicles to city fleets

Some of New York City's finest will soon be driving some of New York City's cleanest vehicles.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday from a press conference in Queens that the city is adding 70 electric vehicles to its municipal fleets.

New York City departments participating include: Citywide Administrative Services, Correction, Environmental Protection, Parks and Recreation, Sanitation, Transportation, Fire, Police, and the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

The addition of the 70 electric vehicles--50 of them Chevy Volts--will bring the city's EV total up to 430 vehicles.

This latest move is part of New York's push to curb … Read more

Experts see cost cuts for electric cars

DETROIT--Although a technological breakthrough for batteries is unlikely before 2020, industry experts say the case for electric vehicles will improve significantly in the next few years.

Jon Bereisa, CEO of consulting firm Auto Lectrification, said at the Automotive News Green Car Conference here last week that costs of such items as the lithium ion batteries will drop as automakers boost production and achieve economies of scale.

Right now the battery costs are prohibitive for many drivers. For example, the Chevrolet Volt hybrid's battery, which holds the energy equivalent of about 1 gallon of gasoline, costs about $8,000, Bereisa … Read more

Panelists: Connectivity makes cars sexy

DETROIT--As smartphones, tablets, and other sophisticated electronic devices become ubiquitous, automakers worry that young people may be more interested in the newest gadget than in owning a new car.

In a panel discussion last week at the Automotive News Green Car Conference, several players on the front lines of developing new cars and light trucks said vehicle connectivity is important in making vehicles more attractive to young drivers.

Bill Reinert, national alternative fuel vehicle manager at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., said the number of people aged 16 to 21 who are eligible for a driver's license, but … Read more

Car Tech Live 220: Driving the undefinable Lexus CT200h (podcast)

Car Tech Live 220: The Volt gets cheaper, the Altima Hybrid scarcer, your government hates your car tech, and we drive the Lexus CT200h (podcast)

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 220 SHOW NOTES

• CNET drives the Lexus CT200h

• A CNET user's analysis of the real cost of a Chevy Volt

• Fed dude at DOT not a big fan of your car tech, smartphone

• What's next for the Nissan Altima Hybrid?

• Hyundai Blue Link priced and detailed

• CNET's LOLcars gallery!

GM offers lower-priced 2012 Chevy Volt

General Motors said today that dealers in all 50 states can take orders for the 2012 Chevy Volt, which will come in a model priced just below $40,000.

The plug-in hybrid Volt is now available in six different models, rather than three, with the lowest listed at $39,995, or about $1,000 less than the 2011 price. The high-end model with leather, backup camera, navigation system, and other features is $46,265. Prices include the destination fee but not other taxes and fees.

Buyers can benefit from a federal tax credit of $7,500 for plug-in vehicles with … Read more

CNET Car Tech: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

The Chevy Cruze Eco is a great example of the dirty little green secret of the car business: the best efficient cars for most people are today's four-cylinder, gas-engined compacts. No batteries required. Brian Cooley takes you for a drive to check the tech.

And you can read CNET's full review of the Cruze Eco here.

This Day in Tech: Weak spots in Web-based e-mail, Apple's WWDC

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET News for Friday, June 3.

Five questions heading into Apple's WWDC Apple may have already declared what it's going to demo at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference, but what else does it have up its sleeve? More

Targeted attacks hit Web-based e-mail Attacks aimed at Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail point to weak spots in e-mail services that can let attackers into corporate networks, reports say. More

Sparked: Volunteer work, right in your cubicle Sparked, a recently rebranded version … Read more

Car Tech Live 218: Nissan Leaf sticks it to Chevy Volt (podcast)

Nissan slams the Volt as being a cousin to the leaf blower, a new app keeps an eye out for accidents ahead, and we drive the Mini Cooper S Countryman.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 218 SHOW NOTES

• CNET drives the Mini Cooper S Countryman

• App keeps an eye on accidents about to happen

• New Corvette coming in 2013?

• Nissan Leaf sticks it to Chevy Volt, oh so subtly.

• Tanner Foust pulls off a huge Hot Wheels jump

• CNET's LOLcars gallery!

Car Tech Live 212: New York International Auto Show edition (podcast)

Our favorites from the New York auto show; BMW, Google, and the U.S. make electric car moves this week; Chevy recalls the Cruze after one very high-profile screwup; and we take a spin the electric Smart car.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 212 SHOW NOTES