Lamborghini, MIT envision the self-healing electric supercar

There is no price guidance nor timeline on the Terzo Millennio concept -- a production model will not be available for years, if it ever gets there.

The next generation of Lamborghinis could act as their own superpowered batteries and be able to repair themselves.

Lamborghini unveiled the Terzo Millennio ("third millennium") concept car at the EmTech conference in Cambridge, Mass., on Monday. The car is the product of the first 12 months of a three-year partnership between the automaker and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

True to Lamborghini tradition, the car has a lean, windswept design and the brand's trademark Y taillights. The windshield seems to extend from the top of the car almost to the driver's toes, and the body crouches so low it almost looks like an outgrowth of the road.

But the most remarkable aspects of the car are invisible -- not least because they don't exist yet.

Lamborghini plans to develop supercapacitors that can provide the fast and intense energy needed to power a supercar and would allow for all-electric models. The lithium ion batteries in today's electric cars release energy more slowly and run down over repeated charges because they depend on chemical reactions. Supercapacitors store energy physically and don't generate the heat of lithium ions, but as of yet they don't offer as much power. The technology is currently used in hybrid vehicles, but for limited functions like getting stopped engines going again.

Photo credit: BLOOMBERG

"A lot of the innovation that came and made its way into consumer cars started with things like Formula 1 and supercars," says Mircea Dinca, an associate professor of chemistry at MIT, whose lab is one of two working with the automaker. "I think that if Lamborghini and we deliver on this promise, it will be really cool for the future of all transportation."

Lamborghini also intends to make the supercapacitors out of carbon fiber panels that can be used to form the body of the car so the Terzo Millennio draws energy from its own body. In other words: the car itself is the battery.

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Source: Lamborghini, MIT envision the self-healing electric supercar

Meet the DIY mechanics retrofitting classic cars with electric motors

© Provided by CNET EV West is a boutique car garage specializing in removing combustion engines and replacing them with electric batteries.

Editors' note: This article is part of Dear Future, a collaboration between CNET and VICE Motherboard that looks at major innovations -- in robotics, space travel, VR and more -- shaping the world around us. 

"What sound does daddy's car make?" Michael Bream asked his son, Eli. The two-year-old paused for a moment. "Vroom," he said.

"No, that's not it," Bream said. Something clicked inside Eli and he made another, softer noise. "Woosh." Bream nodded.

Bream's car and the classic hot rods his shop modifies don't sound like normal vehicles when you race them on the highway. That's because they run completely electric—no gas required. I paid a visit to Bream's shop, EV West, in Southern California this October.

EV West is a boutique car garage specializing in removing combustion engines and replacing them with electric batteries. Bream and his team of around a dozen technicians have transformed everything from a 1950s Volkswagen bus to a Ferrari 308 GTS from gas guzzlers to fully-electric rides.

Older vehicles are often less efficient and release more carbon emissions than their newer counterparts, but many people choose to drive them anyway because, well, they look cool. Thanks to EV West,  car fanatics don't need to compromise between the environment and having a classic ride.

© Provided by CNET dear-future-ev-west-6.jpg

Jehu Garcia's Volkswagen Bus runs on off-the-grid-sourced electric power.

"We're part of the anti-Tesla crowd but in a very positive way," Bream told me.

Bream's small car garage is located behind a string of commercial warehouses in San Marcos, California, a sleepy suburb not far from San Diego. The whole place feels more like a computer lab than a car shop. There's no gasoline smell, and the garage is devoid of the kind of grease I associate with my local mechanic. On the walls are old car posters that have been photoshopped to boast the benefits of electric power.

In one corner is a Tesla Powerwall, a large battery that stores energy harvested from 18 or so solar panels on EV West's roof. Bream's team uses the Powerwall to charge many of its electric cars.

© Provided by CNET Dear Future EV West

Jehu Garcia's VW Bus is all EV inside.

EV West acquires batteries for its cars in an usual way. When a Tesla Model S crashes, its parts are often sold at auction. Bream's garage then snaps them up, and installs them inside vintage cars. The old engines are sold on the secondhand market, where there's still demand for original vintage parts.

Modifying a car to utilize electric power doesn't come cheap. If you want to have EV West do it for you, it'll cost around $18,000. That's if you bring in a vintage Volkswagen Beetle and want it outfitted with an electric battery that has a 100 mile range. Different model cars and larger batteries will cost you extra. You'll also need to be patient: business is booked for the next year.

"We really take our time to make sure [the cars] are up to our standards," Bream told me.

© Provided by CNET evbike

Even children's bikes can be electrified.

While wandering around Bream's shop, I met some of the gearheads who work for him, like Spencer Larue. In college at San Diego State University, he built an electric mini bike that he ripped around indoors. "Because it's electric, I could cruise down the hallways," Larue said.

After checking out the garage, Bream took me for a ride in a vintage electric Volkswagen Beetle painted bright yellow. "This is an old car," Bream said. "Sometimes the doors open." He then ripped the Bug around a weedy field behind the garage, as a half-dozen or so of his mechanics watched me scream out the passenger side window.

Riding in a vintage car modded to use electric power feels strange. The car quietly surges forward, and doesn't rumble at all. It feels smooth in a way that a manual transmission isn't supposed to. It's like the car is somehow running on butter. The experience is pleasingly futuristic—even if the upholstery your butt rests on is decades old.

EV West is ultimately a tiny shop that's part of an equally small industry—at least for now. The garage only mods around a dozen cars per year, and less than one percent of vehicles on the road worldwide today run electric.

© Provided by CNET Jehu Garcia and Michael Bream

Jehu Garcia and Michael Bream.

At the same time, EV West stands at the edge of a promising future for electric vehicles. They're set to outsell fossil-fuel powered cars within two decades, Bloomberg's New Energy Finance group predicts. Cars with a plug will constitute a third of the global auto fleet by 2040, displacing eight million barrels a day in oil production, according to the same report. That's significantly more oil than all of ExxonMobil produces each day.

One of the reasons experts predict electric vehicles will finally become mainstream is that the cost of producing the lithium-ion batteries they depend on is dropping rapidly. Battery prices are crucial because they represent one-third of the cost of building an electric car. The cost of making one fell 35 percent in 2015, and the world's lithium mines are already bracing for a major uptick in sales of electric vehicles in the next couple of years.

"I fear people won't do the right thing [drive electric] until it's cheapest," Bream told me. "My only true hope is that these renewables will be cheaper."

© Provided by CNET VW Bug with Tesla Model S guts

This Volkswagen Bug has been treated to electrification at EV West using Tesla Model S bits.

Experts estimate that Bream's hope could soon become reality. By 2040, long-range electric cars will cost less than $22,000 in today's dollars. That's pretty cheap—a 2017 Honda Civic costs about the same.

One question left to answer: If electric cars hit the road en masse, how will we harness the necessary electricity to power them? The answer is likely renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Solar power in particular is promising: It's currently the fastest growing source of new energy, according to the International Energy Agency. Jobs in the industry are also reportedly growing 17 times faster than the US economy.

Still, there's reason to be skeptical about a future where electric cars rule the road. For now, they can't go very far without recharging, and charging stations remain scarce. As electric cars help bring the cost of oil down, there's also a chance other parts of the world will double-down on newly cheaper fossil fuels.

© Provided by CNET dear-future-ev-west-8

That's not a gas nozzle being hooked up to EV West's 1978 Ferrari 308.

Michael Bream and his team at EV West have chosen to remain optimistic, for good reason. Every car in their garage is a testament to how the power of clean, electric energy can transform how we get around. Especially the bright red 1978 Ferrari 308 GTE.

The car was burned in a fire and later restored to utilize a new power source, making it the world's first electric Ferrari. Eric Hutchison, a friend of EV West, found the sportscar at a junkyard, bought it for a steep discount, and rebuilt it. Riding in the car feels particularly rebellious when you consider that Ferrari's chairman Sergio Marchionne once said that an electric Ferrari would be "obscene."

I bet he's never taken the world's first for a spin.

Source: Meet the DIY mechanics retrofitting classic cars with electric motors

The Economist: Global Tipping Point For Electric Cars In 2018 (Video)

Air Quality

Published on November 5th, 2017 | by Cynthia Shahan

November 5th, 2017 by Cynthia Shahan 

The Economist has an interesting and informative new video up: "Electric cars will come of age in 2018." The Economist supports that view that the global tipping point for electric cars may well be 2018 based on information regular CleanTechnica readers know well, but it's great to see such communication in the mass media.

One key point is that the more affordable total cost of ownership is shifting from gasoline cars to more sublime electric cars. The head-to-head comparison shows the total cost of ownership of an EV to be cheaper in 2018, based on estimates from The Economist.

Additionally, we no longer see EVs as the funny or odd contraptions that turned off many people in the 1980s and 1990s. Tesla's supreme appeal thanks to the performance and high tech of its cars have led the way into a new era, and its modernistic minimalism keeps attracting new buyers. Electric cars are truly cool in 2017 — hip as the miniskirt once was.

The Economist does, of course, bring up environmental concerns that routinely come up about electric transport — it can be powered by coal. However, it's important to recognize that even driving electric on the dirtiest grid is cleaner than driving an average car. Most of us who drive electric for the environment do use solar-powered charging spots when we can. And in the midst of a grid shift to renewable energy, the overall electricity mix we drive on will get cleaner and cleaner. More and more charging infrastructure will rely on solar and wind.

The Economist suggests that there is a global shift of power in the works. Oil is going to become much less important. Instability across oil nations is going to increase as a result, however.

Electric car batteries are coming swiftly into focus. The batteries often rely on the mineral cobalt. Two-thirds of the world's cobalt comes from one country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Economist continues that demand for cobalt has doubled over the past 5 years. It will triple by 2020. The Democratic Republic of Congo does not bring to mind safe politics and does bring to mind a certain amount of corruption and environmental degradation. Cobalt mining there is probably something many of us would emotionally prefer to not learn more about. Heartbreaking issues are in the underbelly of all too many consumer goods. (Personally, I would like to see Fair Trade accreditation for my EV.)

Many governments are driving this emissions-free electric car push. We can expect to find increasing regulatory tightening on gas emissions and gas cars. There is going to be a global shift. Electric cars have unstoppable momentum. CleanTechnica pinned 2017 as a game-changing year. It's great to see The Economist pegging 2018 as the truly breakout year for the industry. We do agree with that forecast.

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Check out our new 93-page EV report, based on over 2,000 surveys collected from EV drivers in 49 of 50 US states, 26 European countries, and 9 Canadian provinces.

Tags: batteries, cars banned, cobalt, electric cars, Global Tipping Point, lithium batteries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo

About the Author

Cynthia Shahan is a Mother, an Organic Farmer, Licensed Acupuncturist, Anthropology Studies, and mother of four unconditionally loving spirits, teachers, and environmentally conscious beings who have lit the way for me for decades.

Source: The Economist: Global Tipping Point For Electric Cars In 2018 (Video)

Nearly 40,000 Plug-In Electric Vehicles Sold In Germany So Far In 2017

Cars

Published on November 4th, 2017 | by James Ayre

November 4th, 2017 by James Ayre 

Nearly 40,000 plug-in electric passenger cars and light-duty commercial vehicles have been sold so far in Germany this year, going on the most recent figures from EV-Volumes.

To be more exact, ~39,100 plug-in electric vehicles were sold in the country through the end of September 2017 — representing a roughly 106% growth rate over the same period of time in 2016 (first 9 months), when 18,300 units were sold.

Those figures mean that Germany is now the 4th biggest plug-in electric vehicle market in the world — after only China, the US, and Norway.

With regard to sales during September — growth remained strong, with a total of 6,150 plug-in electric vehicle registrations in Germany during the month, representing an 84% year-on-year increase. Altogether, some 55,000 to 60,000 plug-in electric vehicles are expected to be sold in Germany during 2017 — which compares to a total of 28,000 during 2016.

EV-Volumes provides more: "The largest automotive market in Europe was a sleeping giant when it came to plug-ins, [trailing] other markets like the United Kingdom or France, but it has woken up this year, delivering the largest growth volume in Europe, being solely responsible for half of the sales increase in Europe."

"The German car industry seems to have finally embraced EVs, competing with ambitious goals for their EV portfolios, sales targets and battery industry expansion, and that effort is already visible this year in its home market, as German plug-ins are growing faster (+138%) than the PEV average (+106%). The accentuated growth of the German PEV market is set to continue throughout 2018, surpassing Norway as the largest plug-in market in Europe."

As regards the share of the overall auto market in Germany held by all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), in September that got near the 2% threshold. So, obviously, there is still quite a lot of room for growth, but things are slowly improving. EV-Volumes predicts that plug-in electric vehicle market share in Germany may climb to around 3% by September 2018.

Related: Electric Car S-Curve Adoption By Country (Fun Chart!)

Check out our new 93-page EV report, based on over 2,000 surveys collected from EV drivers in 49 of 50 US states, 26 European countries, and 9 Canadian provinces.

Tags: EV sales, Germany, germany EV sales

About the Author

James Ayre 's background is predominantly in geopolitics and history, but he has an obsessive interest in pretty much everything. After an early life spent in the Imperial Free City of Dortmund, James followed the river Ruhr to Cofbuokheim, where he attended the University of Astnide. And where he also briefly considered entering the coal mining business. He currently writes for a living, on a broad variety of subjects, ranging from science, to politics, to military history, to renewable energy. You can follow his work on Google+.

Source: Nearly 40,000 Plug-In Electric Vehicles Sold In Germany So Far In 2017

Tesla Model 3 owners' club video offers new details on electric car

First-hand details about the Tesla Model 3 remain almost as rare as the cars themselves; Tesla has built only a few hundred Model 3 electric cars since its launch in July

Now a new video provides an incredibly in-depth look at Tesla's mass-production car, though we suspect it may have been approved by the company.

It gives us a detailed look at the finer details owners can expect from the 2017 Tesla Model 3 Long Range variant.

DON'T MISS: Just 260 Tesla Model 3s built in three months, volume production delayed: Q3 results and call

Diving into the video, which is more than an hour long, reveals insight into such features as the interior cluster, ergonomics, build quality, and much more.

The Model 3 Owners' Club took the time to comb over the highly anticipated electric car in depth, and the half-million or so viewers thus far will know a lot more about the car than they did before watching.

One of the more notable details are the aero ducts that route air in and around the car for greater efficiency.

The design feature debuted on the Model 3 "concept" vehicle, and remained all the way into productio. It also helps break up the grille-less front fascia. 

The video shows how to unlock and open the the Model 3's flush door handles as well.

Most of the time, owners simply need the Tesla smartphone app, which will unlock the car's doors as the driver approaches.

READ THIS: 2017 Tesla Model 3 prices, features, details, specifications from Handover Party

However, a keycard works as a backup. The driver simply waves the card near the Model 3's center roof pillar and the doors will unlock.

Inside, the doors feature a door-opener via a button, which is arguably a simpler operation.

If the electronics fail, a backup mechanical latch resides under the driver armrest and works like any other door handle.

The hosts also take the Model 3 for a spin and provide positive remarks about the quality, and specifically, the center-mounted user interface.

The lack of a driver-facing center gauge display remains an interesting choice, but the video host claims it offers an excellent outward view and the speed is within the driver's peripheral view.

It's worth noting this is not an actual review to peg positive and negative attributes. We've asked Tesla if the company authorized or participated in the making of the video; so far we've not received an answer.

CHECK OUT: Tesla Model 3 interior details, features emerge from pair of videos

Opinions will likely vary as more owners, and independent organizations, receive time behind the wheel. 

For those looking forward to their Model 3 reservation, it provides an incredibly deep dive into the car.

And while Tesla works out its way out of "production hell," it will certainly kill some time and provide over an hour worth of information.

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Source: Tesla Model 3 owners' club video offers new details on electric car

Tesla stock takes a hit as GOP unveils tax plan that eliminates electric car subsidy

The shift toward electric vehicles took a big hit Thursday when Republicans officially proposed wiping out the $7,500 federal tax credit for buyers of electric cars as part of a sweeping tax overhaul.

Tesla would be the hardest-hit company should the plan pass Congress and be signed into law by President Trump. Although Chief Executive Elon Musk has said the company's business plan does not depend on such subsidies, the credit would be cut beginning in 2018, just when Tesla plans to scale up production of its new Model 3 sedan, with a current price of about $45,000 before subsidies.

Tesla stock slid 6.8% on Thursday to $299.26.

The automaker had no immediate comment.

It isn't the first time Tesla's clean-energy focus has conflicted with the Republican agenda. Musk had served on a business advisory committee assembled by Trump, but quit over Trump's opposition to the Paris climate change accord.

Other companies that would be immediately affected include General Motors, which sells the Chevy Bolt EV and Volt plug-in hybrid, and Nissan, which just introduced a new version of its all-electric Leaf.

All major automakers have announced plans to begin selling all-electric vehicles over the next several years, and all would have to deal with the fallout from the elimination of the tax credit. Battery packs for electric cars still cost thousands of dollars more to make than traditional internal combustion engines, and removing the subsidy could place them at an even bigger price disadvantage with gasoline- and diesel-powered passenger vehicles.

"Electric vehicles are several years away from being cost competitive,� �� said Colin McKerracher, advanced transportation analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. If the credit is cut, "it would have a very big impact on the EV market."

Electric car promoters are hoping the credit will be restored to the bill before passage.

"This is a terrible idea," said Joel Levin, executive director of the advocacy group Plug In America. "Fortunately, this is just the beginning of the discussion, not the end of it."

Subsidy foes say electric cars should compete at a free-market price without government assistance.

Steve Leslie, who owns a roofing company in Hood River, Ore., and drives a Tesla Model S, said he won't give up his deposit on a Model 3, tax credit or no.

A big fan of electric cars and Tesla CEO Musk, Leslie acknowledged that the lack of a credit might make the car unaffordable to some Model 3 depositors, which he said would be "too bad."

"Obviously we'd like to have the credit," said Leslie, 56. "Everybody likes a tax break. But I hate the oil companies more. I hate them so much I don't [care] about the tax break."

Mandates favoring e lectric vehicles are being implemented or considered around the world. London and Paris want to ban gas-powered vehicles by 2040. China has made clear it aims to dominate electric vehicle production, and is considering mandates on top of existing incentives.

"The question for the United States is whether we want these cars to be built here or in China," Levin said.

In California, legislators plan to introduce a bill in January that would mandate electric powertrains for all new cars sold in the state by 2040. California currently offers $2,500 refunds on electric cars, which would remain whatever happens with the federal credit.

The state's Zero Emission Vehicle program, which in effect mandates automakers meet a certain percentage of EV sales in California and nine other states, would remain. The aim for automakers is 22% of new car sales in California be electric by 2025.

"It's not a foregone conclusion that U.S. automakers would shelve their EV plans," said Bloomberg New Energy Finance's McKerracher. "But it would take the pressure off a little bit and could have implications for their (global) competitiveness."

It could also hurt a budding industry in battery packs, charging stations and other electric car components.

China and Germany are committed to the electric car market, he said.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasts 1 million pure-electric passenger vehicles will be sold in 2017, half of them in China, about a quarter in the U.S.

UPDATES:

3:10 p.m.: This article has been updated with comments from a Tesla customer.

2:20 p.m.: This article has been updated to include additional analysis of the electric car market and a closing stock price for Tesla.

This article was originally published at 1:25 p.m.

Source: Tesla stock takes a hit as GOP unveils tax plan that eliminates electric car subsidy

The 10 cars that left their mark on electric vehicle history

Electric mobility is the hottest topic in the automotive industry right now. It's new to many motorists, but the idea of a battery-powered car has been around for as long as the car itself. We'd all be experiencing a serious case of déjà vu if we'd been following the development of the automotive industry since its inception.

At the turn of the 20th century, electric cars were commonly used as private vehicles and taxi cabs in major cities around the world. They were generally easier to start and operate than comparable gasoline- or steam-powered models, a trait which earned them a reputation as "women's cars." Ease of use wasn't enough to keep them relevant, however.

The technology was still in its infancy at the time, so early EVs were notoriously impractical. It wasn't uncommon for pre-war battery-powered cars to register a top speed in the vicinity of 30 km/h while only providing about 50 kilometers of range. To make matters worse, users complained they spent more time charging than driving. These primitive EVs quickly lost ground to gasoline-powered models during the 1910s and the 1920s, especially affordable ones like Ford's Model T, and development largely stopped until the 1960s.

Supercharged by government incentives, the electric car is making a comeback as a zippy, practical, connected, and clean form of transportation. From an early Porsche design to the newest Nissan Leaf, here are some of the cars that have left their mark on the history of the EV.

Lohner-Porsche (1900)

1900 Lohner-Porsche

In 1898, Austrian coachbuilder Ludwig Lohner observed the air "was being mercilessly ruined by the petrol engines that now occur in such large numbers." He decided to build an electric car, and he enlisted a young engineer named Ferdinand Porsche to help design it.

Porsche took a different approach to developing an electric drivetrain. Instead of using a single motor that spun the rear wheels, he designed round electric motors that could be mounted inside the front wheels. The motors didn't take up space in the body, and Porsche used that to his advantage a little later when he built what's widely considered the world's first gasoline-electric hybrid.

The Lohner-Porsche suffered from lackluster performance; it could drive for about 50 kilometers when traveling at a steady 35 km/h. The hybrid variant offered more speed and more range, but it never sold well because it was considerably more expensive than normal gasoline-powered models.

Henney Kilowatt (1959)

The Henney Kilowatt was produced in the late 1950s using Renault Dauphines, supplied minus the drivetrain by the French automaker. Fewer than 50 were converted because the sale price couldnít be kept below the target of $3,600.

National Union Electric Company teamed up with Henney Motor Company to relaunch the electric car in the late 1950s. The two partners quickly realized designing a car from the ground up was far too costly, so they decided to use the Renault Dauphine as a donor vehicle. It was cheap, it wasn't as tiny as the Fiat 600, and it was readily available in North America.

Early versions of the Kilowatt used a 36-volt electric system that provided about 65 kilometers of range and a top speed of roughly 65 km/h. Far from impressive, these stats limited the car's use to the city. 1960 brought an upgraded 72-volt system that boosted both range and top speed to 97 kilometers. It was too little, too late, and Henney failed to find audience for the car.

Historians disagree on how many Dauphines were transformed into Kilowatts, though most sources point to merely 47 cars. A vast majority of them were sold to utility companies, which likely explains why less than 10 remain today. Toronto-based Feel Good Cars Inc. recently tried resurrecting the idea of an electric Dauphine using modern drivetrain components.

Chevrolet Electrovair (1964)

1964 Chevrolet Electrovair

In 1964, General Motors stuffed an experimental electric powertrain in the unassuming body of a four-door Corvair. The car moved under its own power, but test drivers complained of shortcomings that made it unviable for mass-production. Notably, engineers had to weld the rear doors shut to increase structural rigidity.

GM's research and development department followed up with a second prototype named Electrovair II in 1966. The 'Vair's flat-six was replaced by an AC induction motor which drew electricity from a 532-volt silver-zinc battery pack. The car weighed 1,542 kilos (about 800 kilos more than the standard Corvair) yet it matched its gasoline-powered sibling's zero-to-100-km/h time of approximately 16 seconds.

Chevrolet's records note range was the Electrovair II's biggest downside. It could only drive for 130 kilometers on a single charge, and engineers noticed the battery pack wore out after roughly 100 charging cycles. That didn't matter; the Electrovair II was a rolling display of technology, and it was never seriously considered for mass production.

Lunar Roving Vehicle (1971)

Apollo 15 Onboard Photo: LRV with Astronaut on Lunar Surface

The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) looks like it's based on a Volkswagen Beetle chassis, but there's no flat-four out back. It's a purpose-designed car powered by in-wheel electric motors not unlike the ones Porsche used in 1900. NASA presumably decided electricity, not gasoline or diesel, would power the LRV due to concerns over releasing CO2 in the Moon's atmosphere.

The LRV helped astronauts on Apollo missions 15 to 17 explore the Moon and collect valuable samples. Three of the four LRVs built are still parked on the surface of the Moon, unless crafty aliens took them home to start a one-make racing series. The program was canceled before the fourth LRV made its maiden trip to space.

BMW 1602 Electric (1972)

1972 BMW 1602 Electric

Bosch helped BMW turn the 1602 into an electric car in time for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. The four-cylinder engine was replaced by a drum-shaped electric motor linked to the rear axle via a standard driveshaft. Interestingly, electricity was stored in a dozen 12-volt batteries mounted on a pallet in the engine bay. They took ages to recharge, but the entire unit could be swapped out in minutes using a fork lift.

The weight added by the 350-kilo battery pack had a devastating effect on performance. The electric 1602 took eight seconds to reach 50 km/h from a dead stop, and it reached a top speed of just 100 km/h. Worse yet, it had a range of just 30 kilometers in dense city traffic.

BMW built two electric 1602 prototypes that it showcased during the Olympics.

Mercedes-Benz LE 306 (1972)

1972 Mercedes-Benz LE 306

While BMW was busy converting its 1602 to battery power, rival Mercedes-Benz was undertaking a similar project with a different starting point. The brand saw a market for an electric delivery van that could roam crowded city centers without emitting an ounce of CO2.

The LE 306's 22-kWh battery pack provided up to 100 kilometers of range at up to 80 kmh. It was mounted on rails so it could easily be swapped out, which was good because charging it took a jaw-dropping amount of time. "At the charging station, the discharged battery is pulled out from the side, while a new one is simultaneously slid in from the other side. It all takes no longer than a normal fuel stop," Mercedes explained in a period document promoting the van.

Like the 1602, the LE 3  06 was shown to the public for the first time during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. It never reached mass production, but Mercedes manufactured 58 examples for a pilot program established to gather data on zero-emissions powertrains.

Jeep DJ-5E (1978)

1978 Jeep DJ-5E

Concerned with oil embargoes and rising fuel prices, the United States Postal Service (USPS) quietly experimented with electric vehicles during the 1970s. It notably tested a fleet of about 30 British-built Harbilt trucks in Cupertino, California.

USPS ordered 350 electric Jeep delivery trucks from American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1974, according to its archives department. The model was based on the DJ-5, which was widely used as a mail delivery vehicle in the United States at the time, and nicknamed Electruck. Period reports indicate it had a top speed of 33 mph, and a 29-mile range when the 300-plus stops it made daily were factored in. It was so underpowered that drivers were advised to avoid hills when possible, and cold climates made things noticeably worse.

Cost was the final nail in the DJ-5E's coffin. The USPS calculated the trucks were 50-percent more expensive than a comparable gasoline-powered DJ-5. The USPS put an end to the project in 1983, and Jeep stopped developing the technology to focus on more profitable projects.

General Motors EV1 (1996)

1996 General Motors EV1

The EV1's Saturn-esque design hid one of the most innovative powertrains designed in the 1990s. Its electric motor generated 137 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of instant torque by sourcing juice from a 16.5-kWh battery pack. The original EV1 offered about 97 kilometers of range, though later cars benefitted from an upgraded Panasonic battery pack which boosted range to 161 kilometers.

There was no way to buy the EV1. It was offered only through a lease program in a handful of big Americn cities including Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Tucson. GM was upfront about its intentions; motorists were participating in a "real-world engineering evaluation," not buying a new car they could commute in for years on end.

The company's decision to stop the EV1 project spurred more conspiracy theories than John F. Kennedy's assassination. Officially, executives explained there was no way to sell an electric car like the EV1 profitably because it was too expensive to build. It's an issue many of the world's largest automakers (including Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles) continue to struggle with today.

Critics speculate GM canned the project because it was afraid demonstrating the feasibility of electric vehicles would lead to tight emissions regulations. Some even go as far as claiming oil companies paid GM to cancel the project over concerns about losing profits. Regardless, the fact is, a majority of the 1,100 examples built in Lansing, Michigan, were crushed.

Tesla Roadster (2006)

2006 Tesla Roadster

In 2006, a little-known startup named Tesla Motors introduced a Lotus Elise-based convertible during a private event held in Santa Monica, California. Named simply Roadster, the model promised exhilarating acceleration, zero tailpipe emissions, and usable range. It was an ambitious project, especially coming from a three-year old company no one had ever heard of before.

Buyers were willing to take a gamble on Tesla. The first batch of 100 cars sold out in less than a month in spite of a six-figure price tag. Production was delayed several times, but that didn't stop most Roadster owners from becoming life-long Tesla addicts. As they say, the rest is history. The Model S, the Model X, and the Model 3 all build on the foundations laid by the original Roadster.

Nissan Leaf (2010)

2010 Nissan Leaf

The original Nissan Leaf was an honest, well thought-out attempt at bringing electric mobility to the masses. It stood out on the American market because most of the other battery-powered vehicles launched at the same time were compliance cars half-heartedly designed to satisfy California's draconian regulations.

However, the Leaf was developed as an electric model from the get-go. It didn't start life with an internal combustion engine, and it was never offered with one throughout its production run. It doesn't qualify for the coveted "long-range" label, but it ticked every box of basic transportation, including practicality and relative affordability. Nissan upgraded the Leaf's powertrain several times, and it's preparing for the imminent market launch of the brand-new second-generation model.

Source: The 10 cars that left their mark on electric vehicle history