UK Police Forces to Employ Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Speed Criminals Rejoice...

UK Police Forces to Employ Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Speed Criminals Rejoice...

While police officers in the States are getting ready to welcome the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice, in the UK the boys in blue -well, at least some of them- will soon be cracking down crime with the help (?) of Mitsubishi's all-electric i MiEV. The five-door micro car was showcased in full police livery at the National Police Show in September and according to the Japanese automaker, since then the company has been swamped with requests from UK Police Forces to trial the i MiEV.

Mitsubishi said that the first production versions of the i-MiEV are set to arrive in the UK in November 2009 and will be on the road in December 2009, with West Midlands Police being the first department to run the all-electric micro car in full operational use.

The four-seat, bubble-shaped i-MiEV gets an electric motor that makes 47kW / 64HP and 180Nm (132.8 lb-ft) of peak torque. Power is delivered to the rear-wheels with Mitsubishi claiming a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 81mph (130km/h).

Certainly not the best choice if you're trying to pursue someone but we gather that the i-MiEV will most likely be used by urban cops for light tasks.

Hyundai i10 Electric: World Debut for Mini EV at Frankfurt Show, Goes on Sale in 2010

Hyundai i10 Electric: World Debut for Mini EV at Frankfurt Show, Goes on Sale in 2010

This is our first look at Hyundai's all-new i10 Electric that will be making its world premiere at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show. The zero emission electric mini is not a concept but a production ready vehicle that is scheduled to go on sale in South Korea in the second half of 2010. Based on the five-door i10 hatchback, the EV is motivated by a 49kW / 65HP electric motor and a 16kWh lithium-ion polymer battery that has been co-developed with Korea's LG.

Hyundai promises a driving range of around 100 miles or 160 kilometers and a top speed of over 80 mph or 130 km/h for its all-electric mini car.

The i10 Electric accommodates dual recharging cycles: a 220V household current which the company says is slower but potentially beneficial if the recharging is performed during off-peak hours when utility rates are lower plus a 415V industrial-strength current which promises to charge the battery much faster.

More specifically, Hyundai said that under the 415V quick cycle, the battery can be replenished to 85 percent of its capacity within 15 minutes while under the normal cycle with a 220V household power source, a full 100 percent charge will take around five hours.

Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS: Petrol-Electric Hybrid Hints at Production Model

Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS: Petrol-Electric Hybrid Hints at Production Model

Mercedes-Benz will be presenting an updated version of its BlueZERO E-Cell concept car at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show. Originally presented in Detroit at the beginning of the year, BlueZERO E-Cell is propelled exclusively by a battery-powered electric drive that allows the car to travel up to 200 km or 125 miles on a single battery charge. The Frankfurt Show-bound 'PLUS' ads a rear-mounted 67HP 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine to the mix.

Sourced from the Smart Fortwo, the three cylinder engine is hooked up to a generator and is used exclusively to provide juice for the electric motor - just as in the case of the Chevy Volt. With this configuration, the car has a total range of up to 600 km (375 miles), of which up to 100 km (62 miles) can be covered solely on electricity.

The concept hatch is equipped with a high-performance, 18 kWh lithium-ion battery that can store enough power within around 30 minutes for a 50 km (31 miles) cruising range while the complete electric range of 100 km (62 miles) requires a charging time of a little more than an hour. Mercedes said that charging time with a standard charge cycle at a conventional household outlet with 3,3 kW is around 6 hours.

The BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS' electric motor that produces 100kW or 136 horsepower and a maximum torque of 320 Nm, drives the front wheels. According to 'das' Germans, the car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in less than eleven seconds while the vehicle's top speed is electronically limited to 150 km/h (93mph).

The 4.22-meter-long BlueZERO models are based on the sandwich-floor architecture known from the A-Class and B-Class. It is believed that the concept model will form the base for a production model in the very near future.

VIDEO: Nissan's All-Electric 2011 LEAF Compact Hatch in Action

VIDEO: Nissan's All-Electric 2011 LEAF Compact Hatch in Action

This past weekend, Nissan swiped the covers off the LEAF, a production-ready, fully electric model that is plans to sell in Japan, the United States and Europe before the end of 2010. The compact-sized five-door hatchback is powered by a 107 horsepower electric motor that draws energy from a set of lithium-ion batteries similar to the ones found on your everyday cell-phones, laptops and other electric appliances. You can watch the LEAF in action right after the jump.

Nissan's Forthcoming All-Electric Hatchback Rendered

Nissan's Forthcoming All-Electric Hatchback Rendered

On Sunday, 2nd August, Nissan will reveal its new global electric vehicle to the media at the company's new headquarters in Yokahama, Japan. We've already shown you a couple of teaser shots released by Nissan, but today we found a new rendering of the dedicated EV that was created by the crew over at Japan's Best Car magazine. Judging by the teaser photos, the CGI shouldn't be too off from the actual production model. For more detailed information on Nissan's upcoming EV

Fisker Karma EV to Run at Monterey Historic Automobile Races

Fisker Karma EV to Run at Monterey Historic Automobile Races

We're not entirely sure if Fisker will have the first examples of the Karma up for sale in the last quarter of the year as the firm promised at the Detroit Show in January, but the plug-in hybrid sports sedan will make its official driving debut at the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races on Saturday, August 15. The pre-production prototype is scheduled to complete two laps on the 11-turn Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca course.

"The Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races is the best stage in the world for great moments in automotive history," said Henrik Fisker, Fisker CEO. "Fisker is honored to be a part of it."

The full-size sports sedan has a range of 50 miles (80 km) on a full charge of its Lithium-ion battery, and a total range of 300 miles (480 km ) thanks to an on-board generator powered by GM's 260hp Ecotec engine. Two electric motors producing a combined output of 403HP allow the Karma to reach 60mph (96km/h) in about six seconds and go on to a top speed of 125mph or 201 km/h.