Electric cars

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 129. Chapters: AC Propulsion eBox, Aixam, Amectran Exar-1, Aptera 2 Series, Azure Transit Connect Electric, Bertone Blitz, BMW i3, Bright Automotive, Buddy (electric car), Cambridge University Eco Racing, Chrysler TEVan, Citicar, Citroën C1 ev'ie, Citroën Survolt, CityCar, CityEl, Coda Automotive, Cree SAM, Dynasty IT, E-Spark, Enfield 8000, Eolian (Solar car), EVcort, Fiat 500 (2007), Fiat Cinquecento, Fiat Panda, Fiat Seicento, FIA Formula E Championship, Ford TH!NK, General Motors EV1, Gurgel Itaipu, Hewitt-Lindstrom (automobile), Hiriko, Honda EV Plus, Illuminati Motor Works Seven, Innovative mobility colibri, Kewet, Kleenspeed Technologies, Lumeneo SMERA, Lunar Roving Vehicle, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Myers Motors NmG, Neale (electric car), Nissan Hypermini, Nissan Townpod, Oka NEV ZEV, Owning an Electric Car, Peugeot 106, Peugeot H2Origin, Peugeot Partner, Phoenix Motorcars, Quimera GT, Renault Kangoo, Renault Twizy, REVA, Revenge of the Electric Car, Rinspeed sQuba, Smith Electric Vehicles, Solectria Force, Solectria Sunrise, The Kurrent, Think City, Toyota eCom, Toyota iQ, Toyota RAV4 EV, Twike, Visio.M, ZAP Xebra. Excerpt: An electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one electric motor or more, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric motors give electric cars instant torque, creating strong and smooth acceleration. Electric cars were popular in the late 19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass production of cheaper gasoline vehicles led to a decline in the use of electric drive vehicles. The energy crises of the 1970s and 1980s brought a short-lived interest in electric cars, though those cars did not reach mass marketing as today's electric cars experience it. Since the mid-2000s, the production of electric cars is experiencing a renaissance due to advances in battery and power management technologies and concerns about increasingly volatile oil prices and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As of March 2013, series production highway-capable models available in some countries include the Tesla Roadster, REVAi, Buddy, Mitsubishi i MiEV, Chery QQ3 EV, JAC J3 EV, Nissan Leaf, Smart ED, Wheego Whip LiFe, Mia electric, BYD e6, Bolloré Bluecar, Renault Fluence Z.E., Ford Focus Electric, BMW ActiveE, Coda, Tesla Model S, Honda Fit EV, RAV4 EV second generation, Renault Zoe, Roewe E50, and Mahindra e2o. The world's top-selling highway-capable all-electric cars are the Nissan Leaf, with global sales of more than 49,000 units through December 2012, and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, with global sales of more than 27,000 vehicles through December 2012, including more than 3,000 minicab MiEVs sold in Japan, and almost 10,000 units rebadged as Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero and sold in the European market. Pure electric car sales in 2012 were led by Japan with a 28% market share of global sales, followed by the United States with a 26% share, China with 16%, France with 11%, and Norway with 7%. Electric cars have several benefits over conventional internal combustion engine autom