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24 Jul 2008
Two companies developing technology for plug-in electric vehicles have won investment from Google.
Aptera Motors of Carlsbad, California and Austin-based ActaCell will receive an undisclosed amount of funding from the internet firm.
The investment is part of Google's RechargeIT initiative, which was set up in June 2007 to accelerate the adoption of electronic transport.
Aptera Motors is currently building an ultra-high efficiency vehicle based on improved aerodynamics and composite materials.
The company's first prototype achieved over 230 miles per gallon during testing, and it is using the design to developing an all-electric version and a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
Meanwhile, ActaCell is working to commercialise lithium-ion battery technology originally developed at the University of Texas at Austin.
The firm said that the technology offers the promise of improved battery life and lower costs, while maintaining a focus on battery safety.
"We are pleased to announce our first RechargeIT investments in two promising companies tackling the challenge of vehicle electrification," said Karl Sun, an investments principal at Google.org.
"Both of these innovative companies and their capable teams are working to develop technology that is crucial to helping us realise the RechargeIT vision of millions of plug-in vehicles on the road."
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Do you agree?
obvious
It is quite obvious that Kerry is on the take from big oil or the car manufacturers that can't/won'tbuild the vehicles we,the motoring public want and need. There are going to be hard heads like him right up until includeing the time when we all are forced to walk where ever we have to go. I've heard every arguement against doing away with the internal combustion engine,and going electric. None of them make any sense. Anybody that thinks they have a good arguement for not converting to electric and damed soon is lieing to themselves. With the auto industry in the financial strife they are in now ,I would be busting some rear to get electrics in the showrooms now and stop wasteing millions on a project they never intend to bring out.(volt) The Volt is a slight of hand deversion covering up what GM is really up to and will end up with the same fate as the EV1.
Posted by: David Loll 27 Jul 2008
Google greenwashing at driver's expense
I see that Google apparently doesn't understand the reason for the three wheels on the Aptera, a rolling little death trap. The three wheels have nothing to do with anything but avoiding federal US safety regulations - this "car" is officially considered a motorcycle, and thus exempt fom safety regulations applied to automobiles. I wonder how much good publicity the monopolistic Google enterprise will get when these little bombs start crushing their occupants in minor traffic accidents? Google should stick to their searchengines and stay away from technology they so obviously don't understand.
Posted by: kerry bradshaw 24 Jul 2008