The space frame is designed to play a vital role in distributing the hybrid powertrain throughout the Fisker Karma. The frame holds the engine-generator under the hood of the car.

The lithium ion battery pack of the 2011 Karma is positioned at the spine of the car. This battery makes use of iron-phosphate cells manufactured by A123 Systems. The battery pack is located at the least vulnerable space if ever the driver meets a road mishap.

The 403 horsepower electric motor can be found just behind the rear seat a bit in front of the rear wheels.

The founder of the company noted that the focus of the design must be on torsional rigidity and adaptability to new styles of the car’s body foreseeing the coming of the 2012 Karma S which will have a retractable hardtop.

The space frame is very strong according to Henrik Fisker himself. He explains that the components are joined by about 260 feet of MIG welding spots and about 1,000 rivets. The car is also said to have great resistance to angled roads with about 33,000 N-m for every degree.

The frame of the Fisker Karma Super Saloon is built to protect the passenger during impact and distribute the collapse progressing to the different parts of the car. The designers also claim that the crush box of the car can be replaced easily to minimize cost.

The Karma will start selling this year with a sticker price starting at $87,400 before taxes

The e-Tron from Audi features technologies that might be pointing to the direction of how electronic vehicles must be in the future. The e-Tron is based on the platform of the R8 supercar and includes four electric motors connected independently to each of the wheels of the vehicle. It truly lives up to the Quattro tag just like the other range in the Audi fleet.

The output of the motor is just 313 horsepower but has an astounding torque of 3,319 lb-ft. It can zoom from 0 to 62mph in just 4.8 seconds and blast from 37 to 75 mph in a blink of 4.1 seconds.

The car depends on a 53 kWh lithium-ion battery pack for its power. Like in other EVs the battery makes up a big bulk of the weight at 1,036 lbs. Audi managed to keep the weight of the e-Tron to just about 3,527 lbs.

Even when you step on the pedal and maximize its horsepower and torque, the e-Tron can still boast of a 154-mile range on single charging. This is an excellent number and is attributed by Audi to the size of the battery, the aerodynamics of the car, low rolling resistance, and other efficient components.

Too bad we will not see the car on the road yet. It remains a concept and Audi has not signified any intention to produce such an EV supercar. The e-Tron can surely give a good race to lead the pack of electric vehicles in the market today or in development. For now, get hold of those controllers and try it on your Play Station.

Next year, Ford is planning to release the 2011 Focus EV but the team handling the marketing is having a tough time coming up with a great campaign. They are dealing with a different kind of market since there is the range anxiety that is needed to be dealt with properly when they push for their EVs. Its not that the marketing team don’t have enough juices flowing but they really have to work hard to success.

The car maker has also conducted several studies to know how EV buyers think and react to EVs in general. An interesting fact is that most drivers don’t exceed a 70 mile reading on a daily basis. The Ford Focus will not have a problem meeting that needed mileage but the company needs to assure buyers that the batteries will not run out while they are in the middle of nowhere, or anywhere to be more accurate.

The Ford marketing team also needs to address the infrastructure needed to support EVs on the road. Ford is counting on the success of their hybrids to attract people and catch their interest for the EVs. They plan to make people understand the technology as the whole world is still adapting to the hybrid vehicles being introduced by car makers.

They are also aiming to get a share of the California market where local automakers are struggling competing with foreign brands.

The FCBE 35 from Proterra is powered by the UQM PowerPhase 150 engine. The engine produces a maximum power of 201 horsepower and continuous power rating of 134 hp. Other major features of the vehicle include regenerative braking, voltage and speed control, and optimal four quadrant performance.

The test simulated the duty cycle of the transport bus which traversed the make shift business district and the major transportation arteries. On the central business district phase, the diesel equivalency of the electric bus was marked at 21.35 mpg. The arterial phase returned a reading of 17.55 mpg while the commuter phase had a remarkable 29.23 mpg.

Each stage of the test simulated a central business district run with 7 stops on average per mile cruising on a top speed of 20 mph. The commuter phase had 1 stop with a top speed of 40 mph.

The parameters electric bus was tested on a 38 seating capacity load amounting to a gross weight of 36680. The fuel economy test was conducted with the air conditioners of the bus turned off. Aircon use may reduce fuel mileage by as much as 30 percent.

The results of the test reveal that the fuel efficiency of the Proterra’s FCBE 35 outshines the commuter buses today by as much as 400%.