ROSH HAAYIN, Israel — Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi has begun rolling out the world’s first nationwide electric car network. Now, will the drivers come?

After more than $400 million in outlays and months behind schedule, dozens of electric cars have hit the road in Israel, the test site Agassi chose for his Better Place venture. Four stations where the cars can get a new dose of juice when their batteries run out are operating, and the plan is to ramp that number up within months.
The concept: to wean the world from oil and eliminate the biggest hurdles to environmentally friendly electric cars — high cost and limited range.
To do this, Better Place has jettisoned the fixed battery. Instead, drivers can swap their depleted batteries for fully charged ones at a network of stations, receiving a full, 100-mile range in five minutes. Better Place owns the batteries, bringing down the purchase price of the cars using the network.
People driving shorter distances, the vast majority of customers, can plug in their batteries each day to chargers installed at their homes, offices and public locations, which will fully recharge in six to eight hours.
He faces a wall of skepticism. A major concern is “range anxiety”: Will the car conk out because its battery is drained, stranding the driver in a dicey neighborhood, en route to the hospital, or with three wailing kids in back?
Rising fuel prices worldwide still haven’t sent electric car sales surging, noted U.S.-based automotive expert John McElroy. “It may not be an energy price issue,” he said. “Consumers may simply decide that electric cars don’t offer the range they need.”

Agassi, a former top executive at software giant SAP AG, said he is ready to prove his doubters wrong. “We’re driving a car that most people said would be a fantasy,” he said.
The swappable battery model aims to reassure drivers about range and show they don’t need to sacrifice convenience or cash to switch to electric.
So far, the four Better Place battery stations are set up in central and northern Israel. During the second half of the year, around 40 stations are due to be operating across the country. But even before that, the company says enough will be up that a motorist could make the 300-mile drive from Israel’s northern tip to its southern end.
Agassi has raised $750 million from investors including General Electric Co. and HSBC Holdings PLC since founding Better Place 4 1/2 years ago.

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Article source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47486268/ns/world_news-world_environment/

Automobile cleaning and detail professionals, Clean Cars of America have launched a redesigned website. The new website highlights the different services they offer for business and personal vehicles and includes an new image gallery.Nashville, Tenn. (PRWEB) May 20, 2012 To place stronger emphasis on their dedication to helping car owners retaining their vehicle’s aesthetic appeal, Clean Cars of America has joined with web design and development company Horton Group to launch a revamped website. The new website is visually stimulating with a gallery full of high resolution pictures. Images highlight the cleaning and restoration process along with the detail work they have done on automobiles of all kinds, plus not to mention aircraft at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Wash.
“One of the most important features of the new site was giving the Clean Car Staff the ability to add content,” said Horton designer Corey Lamp. “This particular site was designed on the Drupal content management system, which makes it easier for site administrators to add new content and update the image gallery.”
A new blog section was added to give website visitors a better understanding of the Clean Cars of America’s services and a insider look into the automotive detailing industry. Another added convenience is the website’s wide open navigation. Drop-down menus link visitors to a detailed listing of services such as: plastics restoration, exterior tar removal and interior sealing protection. Pricing for all of their corporate and personal vehicle detailing services are included on the website. The automotive detail professionals have also added original copies of customer testimonials to the a section of the website.    
Clean Cars of America has detailed some of the most valuable vehicles in the Tennessee region. Their reputation for excellence has led them to work on some of the largest of projects like the original Air Force One presidential jet. They have a professionally certified staff of automotive detail specialist with a commitment to their craft.
“The Governor of the State of Tennessee is one amongst are many satisfied clients,” stated project manager Terrance Dunnavant. “We wanted the web site to show that we are an experienced and distinguished company by providing visuals on our workmanship. In every service we offer we consistently do what it takes to be number one.”
For more information on Clean Cars of America’s services contact them at, 888-752-5326 or dunn(at)cleancarsofamerica(dot)com.
Terrance DunnavantClean Cars of America615-525-7682Email Information

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/clean-cars-america-announces-website-070307219.html

Automobile cleaning and detail professionals, Clean Cars of America have launched a redesigned website. The new website highlights the different services they offer for business and personal vehicles and includes an new image gallery.Nashville, Tenn. (PRWEB) May 20, 2012 To place stronger emphasis on their dedication to helping car owners retaining their vehicle’s aesthetic appeal, Clean Cars of America has joined with web design and development company Horton Group to launch a revamped website. The new website is visually stimulating with a gallery full of high resolution pictures. Images highlight the cleaning and restoration process along with the detail work they have done on automobiles of all kinds, plus not to mention aircraft at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Wash.
“One of the most important features of the new site was giving the Clean Car Staff the ability to add content,” said Horton designer Corey Lamp. “This particular site was designed on the Drupal content management system, which makes it easier for site administrators to add new content and update the image gallery.”
A new blog section was added to give website visitors a better understanding of the Clean Cars of America’s services and a insider look into the automotive detailing industry. Another added convenience is the website’s wide open navigation. Drop-down menus link visitors to a detailed listing of services such as: plastics restoration, exterior tar removal and interior sealing protection. Pricing for all of their corporate and personal vehicle detailing services are included on the website. The automotive detail professionals have also added original copies of customer testimonials to the a section of the website.    
Clean Cars of America has detailed some of the most valuable vehicles in the Tennessee region. Their reputation for excellence has led them to work on some of the largest of projects like the original Air Force One presidential jet. They have a professionally certified staff of automotive detail specialist with a commitment to their craft.
“The Governor of the State of Tennessee is one amongst are many satisfied clients,” stated project manager Terrance Dunnavant. “We wanted the web site to show that we are an experienced and distinguished company by providing visuals on our workmanship. In every service we offer we consistently do what it takes to be number one.”
For more information on Clean Cars of America’s services contact them at, 888-752-5326 or dunn(at)cleancarsofamerica(dot)com.
Terrance DunnavantClean Cars of America615-525-7682Email Information

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/clean-cars-america-announces-website-070307219.html

The Chevrolet Spark offers a stereo upgrade that acts like an extension of a user’s smart phone to stream music, navigation and other apps. Notice how few buttons there are, since the system relies on the smart phone’s technology to work. (Credit: Matthew de Paula)

By 2016 most cars will have smart phone integration, according to a new report from Juniper Research, a wireless technology research firm based in Hampshire, U.K. Aftermarket systems offered by companies like OnStar will help grow the sector to $14.4 billion in four years and give 92 million vehicles Internet connectivity.
This technology will not only allow satellite-based navigation and streaming music from the Web, for example, but it will also open up a whole new market to telematics services currently only offered through automaker-specific subscription plans like GM’s OnStar and BMW Assist. These sophisticated satellite-linked systems can automatically dispatch emergency services to the scene of an accident, help law enforcement agencies locate stolen vehicles, and even disable them in some cases.
Parts suppliers and consumer electronics companies are working together to create a standardized protocol called MirrorLink, being overseen by the Car Connectivity Consorutium, which was established in February 2011 expressly for this purpose. Currently, each automaker has its own proprietary protocol for in-vehicle electronics, making it impossible for electronics companies to produce a single smart-phone pairing device that would work with all vehicles.
The U.S. is ahead of other geographical areas in developing telematics technology for vehicles, Juniper says. Ford has lead the way with its Microsoft-based Sync system, one of the first to integrate advanced smart-phone functionality like voice recognition in non-luxury vehicles. Another American company, General Motors, already offers an aftermarket telematics system, called OnStar For My Vehicle or FMV, that brings its navigation, traffic, safety and other services to non-GM vehicles.
GM’s next step with smart-phone connectivity is to make it available on its least expensive models through an optional stereo system that relies entirely on a smart phone for its advanced functionality, rather than building all that into the system itself, which is how it’s usually done. So, for example, the Chevrolet Spark, a budget-priced micro-car coming out this summer, will offer a stereo upgrade with a large touchscreen that basically acts like an extension of the user’s paired smart phone. This means that when a user wants to stream music through Pandora, the system simply acts like a conduit and relays what the phone is doing, rather than actually processing the data stream itself.
A Chevy rep said it took lots of software development with the help of Samsung to make the system compatible with every smart phone available, but the end result is that consumers who typically couldn’t afford to have such features in their car, now can.

Article source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewdepaula/2012/05/19/in-four-years-most-cars-will-work-with-smart-phones/

The Chevrolet Spark offers a stereo upgrade that acts like an extension of a user’s smart phone to stream music, navigation and other apps. Notice how few buttons there are, since the system relies on the smart phone’s technology to work. (Credit: Matthew de Paula)

By 2016 most cars will have smart phone integration, according to a new report from Juniper Research, a wireless technology research firm based in Hampshire, U.K. Aftermarket systems offered by companies like OnStar will help grow the sector to $14.4 billion in four years and give 92 million vehicles Internet connectivity.
This technology will not only allow satellite-based navigation and streaming music from the Web, for example, but it will also open up a whole new market to telematics services currently only offered through automaker-specific subscription plans like GM’s OnStar and BMW Assist. These sophisticated satellite-linked systems can automatically dispatch emergency services to the scene of an accident, help law enforcement agencies locate stolen vehicles, and even disable them in some cases.
Parts suppliers and consumer electronics companies are working together to create a standardized protocol called MirrorLink, being overseen by the Car Connectivity Consorutium, which was established in February 2011 expressly for this purpose. Currently, each automaker has its own proprietary protocol for in-vehicle electronics, making it impossible for electronics companies to produce a single smart-phone pairing device that would work with all vehicles.
The U.S. is ahead of other geographical areas in developing telematics technology for vehicles, Juniper says. Ford has lead the way with its Microsoft-based Sync system, one of the first to integrate advanced smart-phone functionality like voice recognition in non-luxury vehicles. Another American company, General Motors, already offers an aftermarket telematics system, called OnStar For My Vehicle or FMV, that brings its navigation, traffic, safety and other services to non-GM vehicles.
GM’s next step with smart-phone connectivity is to make it available on its least expensive models through an optional stereo system that relies entirely on a smart phone for its advanced functionality, rather than building all that into the system itself, which is how it’s usually done. So, for example, the Chevrolet Spark, a budget-priced micro-car coming out this summer, will offer a stereo upgrade with a large touchscreen that basically acts like an extension of the user’s paired smart phone. This means that when a user wants to stream music through Pandora, the system simply acts like a conduit and relays what the phone is doing, rather than actually processing the data stream itself.
A Chevy rep said it took lots of software development with the help of Samsung to make the system compatible with every smart phone available, but the end result is that consumers who typically couldn’t afford to have such features in their car, now can.

Article source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewdepaula/2012/05/19/in-four-years-most-cars-will-work-with-smart-phones/

View full sizeThomas Boyd/The OregonianBid spotter Jeremy Gillis signals the auctioneer as a minivan rolls through one of Cross Point NW’s four auction lanes at its Wednesday morning sale. Four cars every minute move through the auction, started in 2008 in Portland. Its popularity grew as dealers hunted for used cars to meet customers’ demand.Cross Point NW loves auto dealers. The signs that dot its Portland auctionhouse say as much. Its growing business — launched nearly four years ago as the auto industry faced a new reality — proves the sentiment true. The dealers-only auto auction listed its first cars in July 2008, selling just one-quarter of the 80 on the block. A week ago, 702 vehicles rolled through its weekly sale, and buyers snatched up three-quarters of them. Its growth curve illustrates a local tie-in to the larger market. In 2009, the value of used vehicle sales surpassed new ones for the first time in a decade. Prices for used cars also ticked up slightly as customers paid less for new cars. Auto auctions supplied 51 percent of the used cars sold by dealers in 2010, a market share that’s surged fivefold in three decades. “The new-car stores are changing the way they’ve done business,” operations manager Norm Hardy said. “Without them running it through the auction, they would never know,” what the car could bring. The environment has helped Cross Point NW grow into a destination for Pacific Northwest auto dealers. Auto auctions consistently sell about six of every 10 cars up for grabs. Cross Point NW’s mark is ticking higher. It sources 80 percent of its vehicles through area new-car dealers looking to auction off trade-ins and restock their lots with fresh inventory. Auctions offer a market for dealers that doesn’t exist in wholesale transactions. Cross Point charges a set fee based on the purchase price and guarantees both buyers and sellers in advance.

Competition is tight for quality used cars at auto auctions
As the auto industry shows early signs of recovery, Portland-area auto dealers compete for customers’ business in the used car market. More than 300 people turn out every Wednesday for the Cross Point auto auction, which moves more than 700 cars a week.
Watch video
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Article source: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/05/portlands_cross_point_nw_auto.html

View full sizeThomas Boyd/The OregonianBid spotter Jeremy Gillis signals the auctioneer as a minivan rolls through one of Cross Point NW’s four auction lanes at its Wednesday morning sale. Four cars every minute move through the auction, started in 2008 in Portland. Its popularity grew as dealers hunted for used cars to meet customers’ demand.Cross Point NW loves auto dealers. The signs that dot its Portland auctionhouse say as much. Its growing business — launched nearly four years ago as the auto industry faced a new reality — proves the sentiment true. The dealers-only auto auction listed its first cars in July 2008, selling just one-quarter of the 80 on the block. A week ago, 702 vehicles rolled through its weekly sale, and buyers snatched up three-quarters of them. Its growth curve illustrates a local tie-in to the larger market. In 2009, the value of used vehicle sales surpassed new ones for the first time in a decade. Prices for used cars also ticked up slightly as customers paid less for new cars. Auto auctions supplied 51 percent of the used cars sold by dealers in 2010, a market share that’s surged fivefold in three decades. “The new-car stores are changing the way they’ve done business,” operations manager Norm Hardy said. “Without them running it through the auction, they would never know,” what the car could bring. The environment has helped Cross Point NW grow into a destination for Pacific Northwest auto dealers. Auto auctions consistently sell about six of every 10 cars up for grabs. Cross Point NW’s mark is ticking higher. It sources 80 percent of its vehicles through area new-car dealers looking to auction off trade-ins and restock their lots with fresh inventory. Auctions offer a market for dealers that doesn’t exist in wholesale transactions. Cross Point charges a set fee based on the purchase price and guarantees both buyers and sellers in advance.

Competition is tight for quality used cars at auto auctions
As the auto industry shows early signs of recovery, Portland-area auto dealers compete for customers’ business in the used car market. More than 300 people turn out every Wednesday for the Cross Point auto auction, which moves more than 700 cars a week.
Watch video
[...] Continue Reading…

Article source: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/05/portlands_cross_point_nw_auto.html

DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co , the second-largest U.S. automaker, will start shipping its first electric passenger car to dealers this weekend, people familiar with the matter said.
About 350 Focus Electric cars will be sent to 67 dealers in California, New Jersey and New York over the next couple weeks. Manufacturing executives signed off on the decision on Friday.
Each dealer will get about six cars, one of which will be a demonstration model, the people said.
Ford declined to comment on the news. The people asked not to be named because the plans are confidential.
“We are still on track to begin shipping the Focus Electric this spring,” Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said.
The Focus EV will compete in the burgeoning electric vehicle market against Nissan Motor Co’s Leaf and General Motors Co’s Chevrolet Volt.
In April, Chief Executive Alan Mulally said he would not consider it a failure if Ford sold fewer than 5,000 Focus EVs in its first year.
In the first four months of 2012, GM sold 5,377 Chevrolet Volts, while Nissan sold 2,103 of its Leaf electric cars. Both vehicles were launched in late 2010.
Ford expects hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric cars will represent up to 25 percent of its sales by 2020, with hybrids accounting for the majority.
Americans have been slow to adopt electric cars due to their high cost and concerns over their range. Automakers have also improved the fuel efficiency of their traditional gas-powered engines more quickly than expected.
But it is difficult to forecast what consumers will prefer in the future and so Ford modified its Focus platform to build electric and gas-powered versions on the same assembly line.
Ford’s move differs from by both GM and Nissan, which build different platforms for the Volt and Leaf.
Electrifying the platform allows Ford to maintain “reasonable margins” on its EVs, which tend to be costly because of the price of the battery, Mulally has said.
The battery [...] Continue Reading…

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/ford-start-shipping-focus-electric-dealers-232354211--finance.html

DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co , the second-largest U.S. automaker, will start shipping its first electric passenger car to dealers this weekend, people familiar with the matter said.
About 350 Focus Electric cars will be sent to 67 dealers in California, New Jersey and New York over the next couple weeks. Manufacturing executives signed off on the decision on Friday.
Each dealer will get about six cars, one of which will be a demonstration model, the people said.
Ford declined to comment on the news. The people asked not to be named because the plans are confidential.
“We are still on track to begin shipping the Focus Electric this spring,” Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said.
The Focus EV will compete in the burgeoning electric vehicle market against Nissan Motor Co’s Leaf and General Motors Co’s Chevrolet Volt.
In April, Chief Executive Alan Mulally said he would not consider it a failure if Ford sold fewer than 5,000 Focus EVs in its first year.
In the first four months of 2012, GM sold 5,377 Chevrolet Volts, while Nissan sold 2,103 of its Leaf electric cars. Both vehicles were launched in late 2010.
Ford expects hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric cars will represent up to 25 percent of its sales by 2020, with hybrids accounting for the majority.
Americans have been slow to adopt electric cars due to their high cost and concerns over their range. Automakers have also improved the fuel efficiency of their traditional gas-powered engines more quickly than expected.
But it is difficult to forecast what consumers will prefer in the future and so Ford modified its Focus platform to build electric and gas-powered versions on the same assembly line.
Ford’s move differs from by both GM and Nissan, which build different platforms for the Volt and Leaf.
Electrifying the platform allows Ford to maintain “reasonable margins” on its EVs, which tend to be costly because of the price of the battery, Mulally has said.
The battery [...] Continue Reading…

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/ford-start-shipping-focus-electric-dealers-232354211--finance.html

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Article source: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Teens-win-New-Cars-for-Perfect-Attendance-152090095.html