It has been indicated by sources that the company is looking at customer demand for Mercedes S-Class EV. The S-class model would become one of the first EVs in its segment, if approved.

The 2013 S-Class comes up with a head-up display and an interior design, which seems to be inspired from F800 Style concept revealed at the Geneva motor show in March. That could mean that can we expect lightweight seats (made of magnesium and carbon fiber), luxurious wood veneers, and a flowing center console?

The 201bhp, 369lb ft 2.2-litre, four-cylinder motor will be the smallest engine to ever be offered in the S-class. As you know, currently the S-Class model uses S250 CDI. Will Audi respond with an A8 e-tron? Stay tuned.

(Via WCF)

The EV gets the same all-electric drive as in Toyota iQ. With zero emissions and feeble running sound the car is sure sighting Toyota’s future plans.

The newly stacked up ultra flat and compact Lithium-Ion battery provides a range of 105 Kilometers (65 miles) while taking up minimal space, so that the car can seat four comfortably and still provide space for cargo.

The EV will undergo testing in Europe this year and will be on a lease-out program in Europe from 2012. Also headed from Toyota to Geneva are the Yaris HSD Concept concept car, the seven-seater hybrid Prius Van + and the sports car concept FT-86 II. The Toyota press conference will be held on the 1^st of March.

The car is being launched as Mazda’s plans of “Building Block Strategy”, whereby efficient engines, lesser emissions and reduced weight are of great concern. This as an encouragement Mazda will gradually bring along technologies like regenerative breaking and hybrid systems to its vehicles.

Vehicles adopting Mazda’s eco-friendly SKYACTIVE technologies will arrive at markets this year; this would be a first stride towards a “Building Block Strategy”. Mazda has already stated that they would be introducing the Minagi Concept during the Geneva Motor Show; Minagi Concept largely incorporates the SKYACTIVE technologies.

Mazda will also focus its R&D on EVs specified for commuters.  Since internal combustion engines are for now irreplaceable, the company hopes to improve on this front as well. Mazda will work on eco-friendly technologies which will bring great driving pleasure along with increased environmental and safety performance.

The Tesla Model S is an EV (Electric Vehicle) that can seat 7 has efficient aerodynamics, provides good stability and handling, crash safety, performance and range. The Model S has more cargo space than most sedans. The powertrain features a liquid cooled floor mounted battery and single speed gearbox. The body is made of stamped aluminum.

It has premium interiors making it a luxury sedan. There’s a 17 inch touch screen with in-car connectivity for GPS navigation, streaming radio etc

The Model S does 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and has a top speed of 120 mph making it a performance sedan. The three battery pack options are 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge. Recharge can be done within 45 minutes.The Model S looks great and we can hope that it gets better by the time production starts.

Apart from this development, we also hear that the  first retail Volt has been auctioned off for $225,000.

Though the details of the first bidder have not yet been made public, GM has said that the proceeds of the auction will go to the Detroit Public Schools Foundation to support math and science education.

The roll-out of the Volts to dealerships marks an important day in the history of electric vehicles, and for Chevrolet in particular. Hope to see more Volts hitting the tarmac soon.

Audi has long been pondering over filling the vacant spot between the A1 and the A3 and now the official word is that the Audi A2, slated to fit in the bracket will be a pure electric commuter. Banishing previous reports of the arrival of a fossil fuel driven car, the A2 will be an all-electric variant which will challenge the likes of the BMW Megacity which will arrive in 2013. Comparing the previous A2 and the fresh arrival, the difference will also be in the usage of a steel space-frame. The similarity between the two would be the continuance of the one-box style design. [via WCF]

BMW is keen to offer eco-friendly options to the world and a decision has been made to assemble the electric cars at the Leipzig facility. BMW chose the facility for its flexibility and capability for increased capacity. Models like the ActiveE, an electric variant of the 1series, will be produced in limited lumbers up front and then the Megacity EV will be rolled out in 2013. While the assembly will be in Leipzig spare parts will also be built in Wackersdorf and Landshut while the Li-on batteries will come from SB LiMotive which is joint venture between Samsung and Bosch. Megacity will be a battery laden commuter and carbon fiber usage will ensure high economy courtesy of the low overall weight.

Mercedes is keen to expand its green bandwagon and the battery electric vehicle Evo is one of its important members. Mercedes has confirmed the production of the first 100 Evo units later this year and if the EV is a success, the German behemoth will manufacture 2,000 units more in the future. The first 100 customers to receive the car are primarily fleet operators and institutions, which are a part of a limited test run. 20 customers will be lucky enough to even get the delivery of the Vito in 2010. The EV Vito uses a 32 kWh lithium-ion battery which gives the commuter an overall range of 130km and it is powered through a 90kW electric motor. The Evo has an electronically limited top seed of 80km/h which is restricted to site urban environments.

The new Citroen C-Zero EV only takes 6 hours to fully charge at 220V and only 30 minutes on a 400V plug if you can settle with only 80-percent. Fitted with ABS, electric windows, air conditioning, ESP and six airbags, the new C-Zero is expected to hit the road by the end of 2010. [via WCF]

A lot of emphasis has been laid on the design to ensure that the appearance is unique but not something bizarre or strange. The rarity of the car also lies in its powertrain as it churns out 90 kW of power using a array of thin, laminated lithium ion cells, while it’s front-mounted electric motor delivers 80 kW with 208Nm of torque. This helps the car clock 140km/h when the throttle is choked to the floor.