Turn on your smartphone or tablet, pick a destination on the map and ROPITS self-driving vehicle will do the rest! Hitachi’s new single-seat transport robot was designed to maneuver its way through city streets and sidewalks to pick you up and get you to your desired location. Equipped with GPS and 2D and 3D laser distance sensors, ROPITS can detect obstacles, bumps, and pedestrians and adjust its speed—up to 3.7mph—to arrive safely at any given destination.

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Post tags: automobile industry, Battery powered vehicle, car GPS technology, car lithium ion batteries, car sensors, green technology, green transportation, Hitachi Ropits, Hitachi smart car, japan car technology, Ropits robotic vehicle, Ropits self-driven car, Ropits smart car, Ropits Tsukuba city, vehicle navigation

Hyundai just became the world’s first automaker to begin assembly-line production of a zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered vehicle. The first Hyundai ix35 fuel cell vehicle rolled off Hyundai’s assembly line yesterday at the company’s Ulsan manufacturing plant in South Korea.

Read the rest of Hyundai Unveils the World’s First Production Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle!

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Post tags: fuel cell vehicle, green car, green SUV, hydrogen, HYUNDAI, Hyundai fuel cell vehicle, Hyundai green car, hyundai ix35, Hyundai Tucson

Peugeot just announced plans to introduce a new hybrid car that does away with lithium-ion batteries entirely and instead uses compressed air to provide zero-emissions driving. The new compressed air car that will be powered by a hybrid system that combines a gas motor with compressed air storage.

Read the rest of Peugeot Announces Plans to Release a Hybrid Car That Runs on Compressed Air by 2016

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Post tags: citroen, citroen hybrid car, compressed gas, green car, green transportation, hybrid car, Peugeot, peugeot hybrid car, zero-emissions driving

In 2011 we wrote about Solar Ship, a helium zero-emissions cargo plane that is capable of delivering much-needed goods to people in remote areas where vehicles simply cannot reach. Today, Solar Ship is now one step closer to reality after receiving a grant to build a next-generation airship that could fly critical supplies to First Nation communities in North America. In order to realize their goal, they are turning to crowd funding to raise much-needed additional financial support.

Read the rest of Solar Ship Receives Grant to Build Emissions-Free Airship to Deliver Supplies to Disaster Areas

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Post tags: African delivery system, delivery disaster relief, green delivery, green transportation, indiegogo funding solarship, solarship delivery plane, solarship disaster relief, solarship helium solar powered cargo plane, zero emissions transportation

Nissan has given the 2013 Nissan Leaf several updates for the 2013 model year, which includes some styling tweaks, a faster charger and more features. The best part is that the 2013 Leaf starts at $28,800, but the price drops to as low as $18,800 after the available federal tax credit and state rebates.

Read the rest of 2013 Nissan Leaf Starts at Under $19,000 After Available Tax Incentives Making it the Cheapest 5-Passenger EV in the US

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Post tags: electric vehicle, green car, green transporation, lithium ion battery, NISSAN, Nissan electric vehicle, Nissan Leaf, zero-emissions

Nissan has announced plans to add 15 new hybrid models to its lineup by 2016 and to launch the United States’ largest lithium-ion automotive battery plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. Although Nissan only currently has two hybrid/ electric cars in its Infiniti lineup, Nissan is preparing for an onslaught of new electrified models.

Read the rest of Nissan Announces Plans to Introduce 15 Hybrid Models by 2016 and Move Battery Production to Tennessee

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Post tags: green car, green transportation, Infiniti, Infiniti Hybrid, Infiniti LE Concept, lithium ion battery, NISSAN, Nissan electric car, Nissan hybrid, Nissan Leaf

In Beverly Hills, California, luxury cars like BMWs and Mercedes-Benz are the norm – so it was surprising to get so many oohs and ahhs when we rolled up in the 2013 Chevy Volt! Yes, California is also the land of hybrids, but the warm welcome we received in the Volt still caught us off guard and definitely should put a smile on GM’s face. Following the completion of the 2012 LA Auto Show, General Motors gave us the keys to the 2013 Volt, which even generated a few oohs and ahhs from us. Read on to find out why!

Read the rest of TEST DRIVE: Inhabitat Drives the 2013 Chevy Volt in Los Angeles

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Post tags: automotive, chevy, Chevy hybrid, chevy volt, electric car, general motors, green car, green transportation, plug-in hybrid

Nissan just unveiled its new Terra Concept – a fuel cell-powered SUV that will have its world debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show on September 27th. The Terra SUV concept is described as a zero emissions, zero limits SUV that takes sustainability off-road with its all-wheel-drive hydrogen-electric powertrain.

Read the rest of Nissan’s New Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Terra SUV Takes Green Transportation Off-Road

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Post tags: 2012 Paris Motor Show, electric SUV, fuel cell vehicle, green SUV, green transportation, NISSAN, Nissan electric vehicle, Nissan fuel cell vehicle, Nissan Leaf, Nissan Terra Concept

SolarWorld and PC-Aero‘s Elektra One Solar Plane harnesses energy from the sun to help it fly with zero-emissions. We covered the maiden flight of the solar plane in the past, and Elektra One just debuted an awesome new accessory at the ILA Berlin Air Show – a mobile electric charging station that represents a major step forward for the the aircraft’s goals of zero emission flying and energy autonomy.

Read the rest of Elektra One Solar Plane Now Comes With its Own Photovoltaic Charging Trailer

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Post tags: "solar energy", aero-pic, elektra one solar plane, mobile electric charging station, solar aircraft, solar impulse, solar plane, Solar Power, SolarWorld

After the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami Japan shut down all of its nuclear reactors and set regional energy reduction targets to help meet energy demands without having to increase generating capacity. No one seems to be taking this heightened awareness of energy efficiency and renewable energy more seriously than the Shimizu Corporation, a large architecture, engineering and construction firm based in Tokyo. On August 1, they opened their new headquarters – which is touted to be the least carbon-emitting building in the world.

Read the rest of Shimizu Corporation’s New Tokyo Headquarters is the ‘World’s Least CO2-Emitting Building’

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", green architecture, Green Building, green design, japanese architecture, shimizu corporation, shimizu head office, shimizu hq, sustainable design, tokoy, world's least co2 emitting building

In addition to providing a fleet of green BMW hybrids and electric MINI Coopers for the 2012 London Olympic Games, BMW has also created a fleet of remote-controlled MINI Coopers for the games. Unlike the BMW 3 and 5 Series models that are being supplied to transport the athletes at the games, the small remote-controlled MINI Coopers are being deployed specifically to assist with clearing the field during Olympic events.

Read the rest of MINI Provides Tiny Remote-Controlled MINI Coopers for the Olympic Games

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Post tags: 2012 London Olympic Games, BMW, BMW electric car, electric cars, green car, green transportation, Mini, mini cooper, MINI electric car

This egg-shaped vehicle may look like something out of the movies, but the Eggasus is a new personal electric vehicle that is set to launch in the U.S. this fall. Unlike the current electric vehicles on the road today the Eggasus only has room for one passenger – it’s designed to offer an innovative zero-emissions option for those who currently commute to work on scooters or mopeds.

Read the rest of Eggasus is a Personal Egg-Shaped Electric Vehicle for the Future

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Post tags: alternative urban transportation, Eggasus, electric car, electric vehicle, green car, green transportation, low carbon footprint, personal electric vehicle

Daimler’s Smart division, best known for small cars like the Smart ForTwo, has announced that it will bring an electric scooter to the market in 2014. Smart originally unveiled the escooter in 2010, alongside plans for a Smart ebike and electric versions of the ForTwo. The electric-powered ForTwo will launch this summer and delivery of the first Smart ebikes is just beginning.

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Post tags: daimler, daimler electric, electric bicycle, electric bicycles, electric car, electric scooters, green transportation, Smart, smart car, Smart ebike, Smart escooter, Smart ForTwo

Ford has announced that the new 2012 Ford Focus Electric is set to become the first all-electric pace car ever to lead the field for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Richmond 400. The Focus Electric pace car will be officially unveiled to the public at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond on April 25. It will then perform all pace car duties at Richmond International Raceway on April 28.

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Post tags: electric car, epa, ford, ford focus electric, Ford Focus Electric pace car, green car, green transportation, Nascar

Following the maiden flight of their Elektra One electric plane, SolarWorld and PC-Aero have unveiled a new solar-powered version that gives the small plane twice the range of the electric version. The Elektra One Solar plane features solar cells on the wing surfaces that harness energy from the sun to provide zero-emissions flying with lower operating costs and less noise.

Read the rest of New Elektra One Solar Plane Flies Twice as Far as the Original

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Post tags: eco airplane, electric airplane, elektra, elektra one, Elektra One Solar, elektra plane, green plane, green transportation, PC Aero, solar airplane, solar plane, Solar Power, SolarWorld, zero-emissions

Driving an electric car in California will soon be a lot easier thanks to a new $120 million dollar settlement. California governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has announced a $120 million settlement with NRG Energy Inc. that will fund a network of electric vehicle charging stations across the state. The electric vehicle charging network will include at least 200 public fast-charging stations along with an additional 10,000 plug-in units at 1,000 locations across California.

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Post tags: California, california ev network, electric car, electric car charging stations, electric vehicle, electric vehicles, EVs, Governor Brown, green car, green cars, green news, green transportation, NISSAN, plug-in hybrid, zero-emissions

Nissan is on track to double sales of the Leaf for 2012 and with this success, the company has announced plans to launch an upgraded version of the electric vehicle at the end of the year. Available starting late 2012, the upgrade will include a “much, much more efficient” heating system for winter months. This will allow drivers to see another “20 to 25 miles of improvements”  in cold weather over the car’s current EPA-rated range of 73 miles per charge. One of the updates will be less environmentally-friendly though as Nissan will also offer the option of a dark leather interior to 2013 purchasers of the Leaf.

Read the rest of Nissan Announces New Leaf Upgrades Launching in Late 2012

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Post tags: car heating, electric vehicle, ev efficiency, general motors, leather interior, mark perry, miles per charge, nissan america, Nissan Leaf, nissan leaf upgrade, Recycled Materials, rob peterson

Following the announcement earlier this month that the 2012 Ford Focus Electric is now America’s most fuel-efficient 5-passenger car, Ford has announced that buyers in California are now eligible for an extra $2,500 state tax credit. As gas prices get closer and closer to $5 a gallon, this extra savings could help boost sales of the car in the Golden State at a time when EVs need it most. The $2,500 would be in addition to the original $7,500 federal tax credit, giving the Focus Electric a total $10,000 in tax credits. The Focus Electric has a starting price of $39,200.

Read the rest of Ford Announces 2012 Ford Focus Electric Will Get Extra $2,500 in Tax Credits in California

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Post tags: California, car tax credits, electric vehicle, electric vehicle tax credit, Focus, focus electric, ford, Ford electric vehicle, ford focus, ford focus electric, green car, green car tax credits, green transportation, HOV lane

Invisible cars are no longer reserved for the likes of James Bond! In order to promote their new F-Cell Hydrogen Electric car, Mercedes-Benz has transformed one of their F-Cell vehicles into an awe-inspiring zero emission vehicle that is almost undetectable to the naked eye. So how did they do it?

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Post tags: fuel cell, Hacks, hydrogen Mercedes, invisible car, invisible Mercedes, invisible Mercedes F-cell, LEDs, Mercedes F-Cell hydrogen, Mercedes-Benz, Zero Carbon, zero-emissions

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is now officially America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger car, with a rating of 110 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) city and 99 MPGe highway. The Focus Electric also has a 105 MPGe combined rating, which beats its closest competitor, the Nissan Leaf, by 6 MPGe. The Focus Electric also offers more power, passenger room and standard features than the Leaf and beats the Leaf on the highway with its 99 MPGe rating compared to the Leaf’s 92 MPGe.

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Post tags: america's most fuel efficient car, electric vehicle, epa, Focus, ford, ford focus, ford focus electric, fuel efficient car, green car, green transportation, green vehicle, most fuel efficient car, NISSAN, Nissan Leaf