Itaipu Binacional and PTI developing new electric car in Paraguay

French firm Bolloré has developed an innovative lithium metal polymer (LMP) battery. This is the result of a 15 year research and development process. Low levels of interest by OEMs in the new system encouraged Bolloré to launch its own electric vehicle featuring this battery. Called the Bluecar, the vehicle is now available in Paris through the autolib scheme. The aim of the project is to have 1,100 rental stations, 3,000 Bluecars and 6,600 charging stations in 47 areas in the great Paris area.

The UK is working on plans to develop contactless charging systems for electric vehicles. Trials of the technology will be carried out on test routes away from the public highway to test the systems. The technology will be able to recharge electric and hybrid vehicles. The aim of the project is to develop sound technologies that can then be installed on England’s major roads. These trials are the first of their kind and will investigate how the technology would work safely and effectively on the country’s m

Performance car specialist Porsche is the latest firm to announce plans to launch a new plug-in hybrid vehicle.

An engineering team in the Netherlands has developed a novel lightweight electric motorcycle that is said to combine low running costs with good performance. Called the Orphiro, this motorcycle features a 72V lithium-ion battery pack that allows distances of up to 96km to be travelled on a single charge. The top speed of the motorcycle is 120km/h, allowing it to attain the maximum speed limit of most European nations, although it will be particularly suitable for short distance commuting. The range of the m