Showing posts with label Electric Car Sales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Electric Car Sales. Show all posts

Friday, May 3, 2013

The Electric Car Wars - Part 2


Multinational corporations in the USA that receive huge fossil fuel subsidies from the federal government and pay almost no taxes, have been waging war for more than two decades against the development of electric cars and other sources of "alternative" and renewable energy.  

In the 2006 Academy award-winning documentary, "Who Killed The Electric Car"  the case is made against the oil company Texaco - Chevron, and GM Motors that purchased the patent rights to the NiMH battery 20 years ago that would have put the USA out in front as the number one producer of electric cars. But instead of producing cars, they have been suing companies like Panasonic to prevent them from producing NiMH batteries.

We created our own problems as a nation when we sanctioned a business deal between a conglomerate of four American oil companies (Texaco, Standard, Esso and Mobile) and the Saudi Arabia government. The "open door" deal was favored by Republican politicians as a way to alleviate gas shortages in the US following WWI that lingered into the 1940's.

It had taken more than five years of oil exploration and drilling to establish the California-Arabian Standard Oil Company that was producing 1,500 barrels of oil per day. 

Then in 1944, the Saudi's insisted on a name change to Arabian American Oil Company (or Aramco.) In 1950, King Abdulaziz threatened to nationalize his country's oil facilities, thus pressuring Aramco to agree to share profits 50/50.[Wikipedia.org17] A similar process had taken place with American oil companies in Venezuela a few years earlier. The Saudi's also moved Aramco headquarters from New York to Dhahran.

That is when the US government started giving the big four American oil companies huge tax breaks -- known as the "golden gimmick" equivalent to the 50% profits given to King Abdulaziz -- effectively removing them from the corporate tax roll.

Then another 25% stake in Aramco was given to the Saudi Arabian government in 1973, the price for allied-US support for Israel during the "Yom Kippur War."

With the increased profits, the Saudi government was able to acquire a 100% stake in the company by November 1988, taking over complete management of the oil fields and renaming the company "Saudi Arabian Oil Company (or Saudi Aramco.)

It officially cut all oil supply to Israel the same year by order of the CEO, and became the world's largest fully owned, privately held company, with an estimated market value that had risen to $781 billion in 2005.

Concerns for monopolization of the world's economy have been raised.

Saudi Arabians have major holdings in big oil, cars and media companies that rake in fossil fuel subsidies in the United States, produce gas-guzzling vehicles and do everything possible to fight-off  the adoption of "renewable" and other "alternative sources" of energy.

"Who Killed The Electric Car," Academy award-winning 2006 documentary spells out the case against Texaco - Chevron, and GM Motors that purchased the patent rights to the NiMH battery 20 years ago that would have put the USA out in front as the number one producer of electric cars. But instead of producing cars, they have been suing companies like Panasonic to prevent them from producing NiMH batteries.

China is now the world's largest car manufacturer -- thanks to global labor outsourcing of US car manufacturing and the Chinese development of lithium ion batteries that are in popular use in inexpensive electric vehicles that are flooding the world market (except in the USA where they are restricted.)

China produces almost half of all Chevy cars sold in the world, and produces cars and "components" for all of the major US car companies. However, tight federal import regulations prohibit the import of most electric cars designed to exceed 35 mph (anything more than a golf cart in other words.) 

Panasonic has successfully managed to be able to produce NiMH batteries Japanese companies but will only offer them for sale in batches of 10,000, which makes it impossible for start-up companies to test the use of the batteries or acquire them for concept and custom electric vehicles.

Way to stand in the way of progress!!!

 "The oil companies said electric cars can't work, but the truth is, they don't want them to work," Elon Musk, CEO founder of Tesla Motors told a crowd eager to see his new Tesla Model S sedan, unveiled Oct. 1, 2011 in Fremont, California.

Electric battery-powered vehicles are capable of zero to 60 mph in under 6 seconds that blows away it's gas combustion-engine powered competitors. They also have a 10-year battery life and require very little maintenance compared to combustion gas-powered engines.... which require frequent oil changes and engine parts replacement. 

So, electric cars are a big time and money saver for motorists but they do not fit nicely into the current car dealership business plan that relies heavily on parts replacement and oil changes, that are also key to getting you back to the store to buy the newest model.

Never the less, passionate custom-conversion builders have been designing and racing electric cars for more than 40 years in California and South Carolina.

 "I have been up against Mustang GTE racers on NASCAR tracks with one of my converted electric Mustangs and walked away from all of the gas powered cars every time. I have clocked top speeds of zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds with a top speed over 145 mph," said our top builder.


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E-Cars are faster than blue lightning but they can also be tamed to top speeds under 50 mph for resort community travel needs.

Ideal for town and retirement community travel
 see our Electric City Car Collection at e-cars.cc.

The future is here and it's Electric!
Contact Tom Lloyd: TCLloyd@gmail.com

Monday, January 23, 2012

2013 Update on Sigma GTE Electric Car: 145mph 4.5 sec.

This custom electric Mustang GTE was originally designed, built and tested as a concept car prototype for a group of investors interested in manufacturing electric-converted custom designed vehicles for an international, mostly European market. It does 0-60 in 4.5 sec and cruises at 145mph and is now being offered by Elite Custom Electric Vehicles, an Orlando, Florida based company.


Major components like the front and rear differentials were sourced from Ford, and the GTE's entire cockpit was yanked from an older Mustang. Twin DC electric motors offer up about 100 horsepower each and provide all-wheel drive that blows away competition, racing against gas-engine cars.


The Sigma GTE was designed and built in South Carolina for Marcelo Lopes and a group of investors in Brazil. It was raced at 145 mph against gas-engine cars at Charolette Speedway and it held it's own without any problems.

The Sigma GTE is unique in many ways. It has both front and rear independent suspension drive systems and an electric motor that is capable of 200 hp and 300 lbs of torque each.

Unlike the Mustang that is a two-seater, the Sigma GTE was originally designed as a high-speed sporty sedan that could comfortably carry four adults. The electric supercar, with 144 volt lithium batteries will safely cruise at over 100 mph and recharge it's hybrid generator while sitting in traffic. It was hoped that mass production would bring the price of the Sigma GTE to below $35,000. 

But for now, the electric GTE has become more popular as a competition race car, a niche market we are happy to see growing worldwide.

The Sigma GTE and other custom conversion, competition race cars are offered by Exclusive Electric Customs - ask for more info. 


South Carolina is our testing ground because it is a decidedly automotive state: Home to BMW, Michelin, Timken, Cummins, and all the suppliers associated with them. The state also hosts the Clemson iCar International Center for Automotive Research Center. 

Proterra, an electric bus manufacturer located to Greenville, SC in 2010 and Proterra CEO David Bennett was named among Greenville's 50 Most Influential People of 2011 for his part in creating an estimated 1,200 to 2,000 new jobs in the area.

However, our sales division will always be based in the Sunshine State, Florida that hosts many of the big international custom bike and car shows. 

Plug In Carolina reached out to the SC Energy Office to secure $480,000 in federal funding to deploy quick recharge stations in seven cities across South Carolina that will connect tourists and other travelers to growing E-V recharge infrastructures in Georgia and Florida.  "Of course, every house and business has an electric outlet, so all states have an electric infrastructure," said Kase. "The Sigma GTE and all of the vehicles I build also have an on-board recharger and a universal plug that fits into any 110 or 220, or any E-V recharge station."

Florida is encouraging electric vehicle tourism with plans for 500 recharge stations in public places and Simon malls.

On top of saving thousands of dollars in fuel, both California and Georgia offer $5,000 state income tax credits in addition to the $7,500 federal credit to further encourage the purchase of electric vehicles. Follow this link for state and regional rebates and incentives.

This custom electric Mustang GTE can be custom built to order, within a price range of $33,500 to $68,000 depending on options. 


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Based in Florida, Elite-evs are faster than blue lightning but they can also be tamed to top speeds under 50 mph for resort community travel needs.

Ideal for town and retirement community travel
 see our Electric City Car Collection at e-cars.cc.

The future is here and it's Electric!