BMW could revive all-electric Mini.

BMW spent years evolving the all-electric powertrain it introduced in the Mini E back in 2008. The first big change was when the original Mini E was cancelled and the ActiveE was introduced in 2011. Then we have the quantum leap into the i3. If a report over on BMW Blog is correct, we might one day go full circle back to an electric Mini.

BMW Blog talked to Mini brand manager Peter Schwarzbauer about the possibility of a new electric Mini and he said, "It fits perfectly with the brand, and I am convinced that we will offer a suitable solution." One reason an electrifying Mini makes sense is because the new third-gen model will be built on the UKL1 platform. This platform is going to be able to handle a variety of powertrains, including "various" hybrid configurations, BMW Blog says, adding that the Clubman model would be a "prime candidate" for a battery injection.

The numbers show that BMW may not have made enough Mini Es the first time around. While only 450 Mini Es ever made it into the world, 1,800 people signed up to test them. Once the cars did arrive, BMW discovered that Mini E drivers were mostly happy with their EV experience. We can only imagine how pleased they'd be with improved cars.

Smart Fortwo electric drive plugs into China.

That's one really small car for China, one giant leap for a European electric-vehicle maker. In this case, the EV in question is the all-electric Smart Fortwo ED and the automaker is the German company Daimler which is taking up a position as the first European automaker to start selling an EV in China. Daimler's Smart unit trumpeted the EV's sales at the Guangzhou Motor Show, calling the model "the clear market leader in Germany." The Fortwo ED accounts for about 40 percent of all EV sales in Germany, according to Smart.

Smart says the Fortwo ED is perfect for larger Chinese cities, with its short wheelbase, its 74-horsepower electric motor, 78-mile-per-hour top speed and single-charge range of about 90 miles. Daimler sells the Fortwo in many countries around the world, including Russia, Italy and, starting earlier this year, the US. Since then, the model has been moving about 120 units a month in the States.

Daimler is making a play for an even larger slice of China's battery-powered automotive sales. Denza, the company's collaboration with China-based BYD, will start sales of the Denza EV in China next summer, with a production version of the model scheduled to debut at the Beijing Motor Show next April.

Most expensive electric cars for the eco-friendly billionaires.

Undoubtedly, the current super cars powered with petroleum fuels still dominate the streets around the globe, but the era of all-electric cars is expected soon, as most of the world’s renowned luxury automakers have already unveiled their electric concept cars officially. Electric cars will save on fuel prices will certainly not be the reason for the affluent owners of the world’s most expensive cars to opt for electric vehicles, but they will chose to drive electric because of environment concerns. So far, electric cars have successfully made a loyal fan base of noted celebrities and business giants like Larry Page, Roman Abramovich, Lionardo Di Caprio, Justin Bieber, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, to name a few. And, the automakers are now hoping to attract more environment-concerned enthusiasts in the coming years, when most of the electric cars will officially be made available for sale.

ELECTRIC HARLEY V-ROD 2002, CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE CHOPPER BATPOD

This custom bike is 100% electric, and is built around a modified 2002 Harley Davidson V-Rod frame. It is a unique, one-of-a-kind motorcycle that is fully operational and a totally reliable form of transportation. Although the VIN history will show higher mileage (due to the previous original engine), this completed project has less than 150 miles on it since it was rebuilt into an electric bike. Most of these miles were required for development & testing.

Most of these parts were custom made from raw aluminum and steel stock material. Many other components, such as the wheels, fork tubes, braking systems, etc were taken from other bikes and incorporated into this custom design. The bike is currently titled, registered, & insured as a street-legal 2002 Harley V-Rod due to the VIN that is stamped on the frame neck. It has a clear Nevada Title as such.

The motorcycle is in immaculate, flawless, clean condition. No road grime, grease, stains, or dirt at all. The motorcycle will be "ready to ride" upon delivery, with the battery pack fully charged. Due the the electric drive system, it is very quiet and stealthy. Roll it off the crate base, flip a switch, twist the throttle grip, and you're heading down the road.

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Autoblog's review of the Fiat 500e. "An absolute hoot to drive."

Fast custom built 2 wheel drive electric bicycle by CORBINFIBER electric cycles. capable of high speeds on level roads with 37 mile range. Charge time is 2 hours.

The Audi e-tron family is a series of electric and hybrid concept cars shown by Audi from 2009 onwards.

It has been speculated that the second e-tron concept car, shown in 2010 in Detroit, provides a preview of a future mid-engined Audi sports car production model to be launched in 2012, possibly to be named Audi R4 or Audi R5, which may be available in both electric and internal combustion engine-powered variants.

The name “e-tron” has been seen in the French-speaking press as laughably close to the French word “étron” (turd).

2014 Porsche Panamera arrives with new E-Hybrid, long-wheelbase models.

Porsche will officially unveil the refreshed 2014 Panamera at the Shanghai Motor Show later this month, and there's a whole lot in store for the updated model, far beyond the minimal styling tweaks you see here. Sure, there's a new fascia with more prominent LED lighting (including full LED headlamps) and the rump has been tweaked ever so slightly, but the big news for 2014 concerns what's underneath that rakish skin.

First up, Porsche will now offer a Panamera S E-Hybrid model – a plug-in hybrid that builds on the technology first introduced in the Panamera S Hybrid that we tested in 2011. For this new application, a more powerful electric motor and higher-performance battery have been fitted (official specs have not been released just yet), and Porsche says the battery can be recharged in just two and a half hours when the car is plugged in to a 240-volt outlet, and the charging (as well as other vehicle data) can be monitored via a new Porsche Car Connect app available for Android and iOS devices.

As for performance, the E-Hybrid will reportedly have an all-electric driving range of "greater than 20 miles" and will be able to travel at speeds up to 84 miles per hour solely on electric power. And because this is a Porsche, performance has not suffered – the automaker says the Panamera S E-Hybrid will be able to hit 60 mph in 5.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 167 mph. Total system output for the E-Hybrid is rated at 416 horsepower and 435 pound-feet of torque, and an eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission will be used with this application.

Speaking of performance, Porsche will be offering a new 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in the Panamera, which replaces the naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V8 from the S and 4S models. This new engine is good for a power increase of 20 horsepower and 15 pound-feet over that V8 (bringing the final numbers up to 420 and 383, respectively). While official fuel economy numbers haven't been released just yet, we're told that this new engine, combined with the standard seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and auto start/stop, will offer significant fuel economy improvements.

Lastly, and perhaps most fitting to the car's planned debut in China, Porsche will be offering extended-wheelbase versions of both the Panamera 4S and Turbo. Called the Executive models, these cars offer 5.9 inches of extra length in the wheelbase, and come standard with "an extensive range of standard features," including Porsche's adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).

The 2014 Panamera will go on sale in the US starting late in 2013, priced from $78,100 for the base model and reaching as high as $161,100 for the Turbo Executive. That nifty new E-Hybrid comes in at $99,000, and other models like the GTS and Turbo are priced from $113,400 and $141,300, respectively. (All prices do not include $975 for destination and handling.) Have a look below at Porsche's press release for the full pricing information, as well as the full smattering of details.

Cool graphic breakdown of the Fiat 500e. Some cool tech in there.

10 Upcoming electric cars you're going to start hearing about.

Aptera Motors is a startup company seeking to manufacture high-efficiency road vehicles. Formerly known as Accelerated Composites, the company was based in Oceanside, California. The company was bought by a Chinese auto manufacturer in mid-2012 and reactivated as a going concern after having announced closure on December 2, 2011.

Aptera’s first product, a three-wheeled two-seater named the Aptera 2 Series, was under development,[4] The fuel efficiency of 300 mpg-US (0.78 L/100 km) when plugged in every 120 miles (190 km) would make it one of the most fuel-efficient cars in the world. This is without accounting for the fuel used for generating the power that charges the batteries. If that is provided for, the equation would stand significantly altered.

The name Aptera is Greek for “wingless,” a nod to their light-aircraft-inspired design and construction techniques, and is correctly pluralized either as 'Apterae' or ‘Apteras.’ However, Aptera Motors maintains that Aptera translates to “wingless flight.”

The Subaru R1e is a battery-electric microcar undergoing development and testing. The car was jointly developed with Tokyo Electric Power, the giant Japanese utility company. Currently 10 prototypes have been built and are undergoing testing by Tokyo Electric Power, which plans to eventually operate 3,000 of the vehicles starting in 2008. The vehicle has a range of 50 miles (80 km) and a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h).
The prototype is a two-door, two seat vehicle based upon the Subaru R1 gasoline vehicle. This vehicle has received intense interest from electric vehicle fans owing to its modern battery technology, appropriate size, and potential performance attributes. It also has the same grille as the 1st generation Subaru Tribeca.
The car uses a lithium-ion battery which was developed in cooperation with NEC and can be recharged to 80% capacity in eight minutes using a special rapid charger, or to 100% charge in eight hours on a standard 100 V plug. Battery life is at least 10 years or 144,000-plus miles (240,000 km). Tokyo Electric Power company plans on producing 150 fast-charge stations.

Cool interior shot of the Tesla Roadster.

Cadillac Introduces the Son of Volt, the ELR. The ELR wraps a sleek two-plus-two coupe body around the Volt’s 16.5-kilowatt-hour battery, a 1.4-liter, 84-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine and an electric drive unit that produces roughly 160 to 180 horsepower and 295-pound feet of torque — a bit more than the Volt’s 149 horses and 273 pound-feet. The ELR trades a bit of range for speed and sportiness, traveling an estimated 35 miles on electricity before its range-extending engine kicks in. There is also sportier suspension tuning, 20-inch wheels and steering-wheel shift paddles to activate regenerative braking; that boosts the battery and mimics the feeling of shifting into a lower gear.

One of the coolest EV conversions I've ever seen- a 1967 Toyota 2000GT. Weighing just 1,460 kilograms (3,218 pounds), this modified 2000GT is all-electric under the skin – and on the skin in some areas. A high-performance solar panel embedded into the hood and a transmission solar panel sits in place of the rear glass. These feed energy into to a 345-volt, 40-kWh lithium-ion battery which, in turn, powers a 120-kW electric motor. Together in the stylish 2000GT, this powertrain is good for a top speed of over 200 kilometers an hour (124 miles per hour).

Bob Lutz-approved Via X-Truck offers 800 hp, 100 MPGe. I would love if this works out and proves to be accurate.

This custom Prius was built by the King of Customs, George Barris.

The Dodge EV development vehicle, also called Dodge Circuit EV sports car, was a two-passenger, rear-wheel-drive, all-electric sports car shown to the public at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. The car was based on the Lotus Europa S, and combined a lithium-ion battery pack with a 200-kilowatt electric motor, capable of generating 268 bhp (200 kW) and 480 lbf·ft (650 N·m) of torque.

The Tesla Roadster is the first widely available electric sports car. Looking at the license plate, this owner has a great sense of humor!

The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive and manufactured at Valmet Automotive in Finland. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rated the Karma's combined city/highway fuel economy at 52 mpg-US, in all-electric mode, and at 20 mpg-US in gasoline-only mode. EPA's official all-electric range is 32 mi.

Pricing in the U.S. starts at $102,000 for the basic model, and $116,000 for the top model.

The Porsche 918 Spyder is a mid-engined sports plug-in hybrid. The Spyder is powered by a 4.6 litre V8 engine, developing 580 horsepower, with two electric motors delivering an additional 243 horsepower. It is the first plug-in hybrid car from Porsche. Porsche intends to manufacture 918 units as a 2014 model year starting production on September 18, 2013, with deliveries scheduled to begin in December 2013. Would you drive one?

Check out the world's quickest EV. Some specs: Power output (wheels): 550 WHP
Power output (motor): 600 HP
Torque: 900 Nm
Weight: 1150 kg
Stored energy: 24 kWh

Range: 180 km
0-100km/h: 3.3 sec.
¼ Mile time: 11,3 sec.
Max. speed: 280 km/h