With the EV-Everywhere initiative, President Obama is looking to spur the creative minds of business men, engineers and scientists across the country to make electric vehicles more affordable to own and drive in the next 10 years.

One of the biggest challenges pressing car makers and buyers today is the price of gas. President Obama’s latest EV pushing strategy is meant to help the American public from having to rely on gas powered vehicles. The goal of the project is to have 5-passenger affordable American electric vehicles that will pay themselves off in five years or less and be capable of getting the average American to and from work without worrying about range. Obama said he would like to see these five vehicles on the road by the year 2022.

“The EV-Everywhere Challenge is focused on advancing electric vehicle technologies and continuing to reduce costs, so that a decade from now, electric vehicles will be more affordable and convenient to own than today’s gasoline-powered vehicles,” Secretary Chu said yesterday at an event at a Daimler Truck factory in Mt. Holly, N.C.

The initiative will bring together the ideas from several offices at the Department of Energy and aims to find ways to bring down costs of the various parts of electric vehicles.

This process will involve reaching out to Universities, laboratories and businesses. Additionally, to recruit more bright minds, workshops called EVerywhere will take place across the country in the next few months.

The EV-Everywhere challenge is the second challenge issued by the Department of Energy as part of their “Grand Challenges” model. Their last challenge involved finding a way to make solar power directly cost-competitive with electricity from fossil fuels by the end of the decade. More challenges are expected over the next few months to find better ways to harness clean energy.

Infiniti is preparing to build a flagship performance car – or at least they’re thinking about it. Unveiled today at the Geneva Motor Show, the Infiniti Emerg-E is our first look at just what that halo model might be.

Powered by twin-electric motors with a 3-cylinder range extender gasoline engine, Infiniti is promising some impressive things with this stunning concept car. For more details and an up-close look at the Emerg-E, watch out First Look video below.

GALLERY: Infiniti Emerg-E Concept

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Hyundai has released a lone photo of its new i-Oniq concept car, a vehicle that showcases the next generation of the Korean automaker’s styling and fuel-efficient technology.

With a big commitment to 40 mpg gasoline engines and a modest push with conventional hybrids, the i-Oniq is a range-extended electric car, along the lines of the Chevy Volt. Using a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine mated to an electric motor and lithium ion battery pack, power is rated at a models 109 hp. Hyundai claims a zero-emissions range of 120 km (75 miles) with a total range of 700 km (435 miles) once the gasoline engine kicks in.

Outside it’s a sportbrake-styled coupe roughly the length of a Hyundai Elantra and inside there’s space for four.

“The i-oniq concept has been created to reflect the new thinking that runs through the Hyundai brand,” says Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe. “It has a bold design, inside and out, that provokes contemplation on the future of automotive possibilities, and a powertrain that highlights one of the ways in which we could power future products – wrapped in a package that exudes premium qualities.”

Look for more on the i-Oniq concept with its world premiere scheduled for the Geneva Motor Show next week.

There’s not a lot of mystery in the auto industry. Automakers release info on cars before they debut, and with leaked info and spy photos, even then, there’s often little that’s unknown about a new model before it arrives.

And then there’s this… a mysterious German electric vehicle spotted testing in Northern Europe. In fact, we wouldn’t even know it was an EV were it not for the stickers declaring so on the side of the car (a safety precaution mandated to make first responders aware in case of an emergency). The fact that the sticker says “electric vehicle” in German seems to indicate the car’s country of origin.

Styling of the car looks like something almost classic, like a Morgan or Weismann, while we’ll admit there’s a bit of French design flare here as well. The most likely option, however, is that it’s a new model by Smart. Of note, the body placed on this vehicle is certainly misleading, as the rear fenders appear to be almost a foot wider than the car, with the wheels recessed significantly.

Out spy photographers have reported that the test was very secretive, with the car taking just one lap of a test track before being hidden away.

Think you know what it is? Leave your comments below.

GALLERY: Mystery German EV

Things might get a lot sweeter in 2013 for folks considering a “new technology car,” as they’re being called at the White House.

President Obama’s 2012 fiscal year budget apparently includes a provision for increasing the federal tax credit from $7,500 to a more substantial $10,000. The subsidy hasn’t been passed yet, but if it goes through, people purchasing natural gas cars, EVs and extended-range hybrids will have more of an incentive to seal the deal.

The increased amount could serve to replace subsidy dollars that disappeared this year which went toward accessory items like home charging stations, meaning a few folks who bought those cars this year might feel a little bamboozled by federal policy.

That sting might be all the more pungent when people realize, as The Truth About Cars points out, that the new incentive is actually a refund available upon purchase instead of the more-complicated tax credit of the past.

Past issues aside, the President appears to have his sights set squarely on the future with a goal to have one million “advanced technology” vehicles on the road by 2015.

Questions about vehicle safety during incidents like the one we saw recently with the Chevrolet Volt battery fires certainly won’t help accomplish that target, but money talks and people are often quick to forget when there’s cash on the table for them. We’ll have to wait and see if the new subsidy makes the cut.

[Source: The Truth About Cars]

Today Nissan announced its list of concepts that will bow at the Geneva Auto Show next month. There are two world premiers in the group, the Invitation and one other that the company is keeping closely guarded.

The Invitation, which from what we can tell is a lot like a cooler version of the Versa, will feature Nissan’s Around View Monitor (AVM) which gives a bird’s eye view of the car for easy parking.

“The future product vision promised by these four concept vehicles – when added to the strength and depth of our full range – shows the confidence coursing through every aspect of Nissan today. We are on target to become the top Asian brand right across Europe by 2016,” said Paul Wilcox, the senior vice president of sales and marketing in Europe.

Aside from the Invitation and the secret concept which has us wondering, the company will also display the Juke NISMO concept that will wear speedy-looking trim on the dressed-up Juke, but little in actual performance improvements.

The e-NV200 is Nissan’s next foray into the EV market and will first gain entry to the U.S. market as a fleet of New York City taxi cabs. The e-NV200 will be the fourth and final concept unveiled by Nissan at the Geneva show.

Electric car maker Fisker Automotive is expanding its grip on worldwide sales by pushing its new Karma in Canada.

To bring the cars to the Canadian market with the smallest investment possible, Fisker partnered with existing retailers in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver to market its car. In Toronto, a standalone store will be constructed in a well to do area of the city to try and push sales up in the Country’s largest market

Electric vehicle sales in Canada are also backed by the Canadian government as well as provincial governments, with Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec offering incentives up to $8,500 CAD on new electric vehicle purchases. Ontario residents also get the benefit of unrestricted access to high occupancy vehicle lanes for plug-in cars. The province of Quebec is offering to pay for half the cost of a charging station.

The Lincoln MKZ concept that debuted in Detroit earlier this month gave us an olfactory tingle in more than one place after the display started inexplicably smoking in front of us much to its presenter’s chagrin. Despite all that, the MKZ wasn’t the hottest Lincoln design to make the scene.

Instead, the car that’s still capturing imaginations is the 2025 Lincoln Continental EV concept, pictured above. It’s the brainchild of two undergraduate students from Lawrence Technological University in Michigan.  Colin Bonathan and Jeeho Cha are a part of the transportation design program at Lawrence Tech and started on the project last summer. According to the school, Ford liked the concept so much that they decided to get behind it.

Beyond the fact that the student’s concept got exposure at the NAIAS, there isn’t any word on the likelihood of it passing the imaginary phase, though Bonathan did base the exterior on concrete figures like a desired wheelbase length and other components.

GALLERY: 2025 Lincoln Continental Concept

[Source: Lawrence Tech]

Citing complex certification processes, Fisker Automotive has cut its sales target for the plug-in hybrid electric Karma once again.

Initially set at 15,000 units for 2012, in November the American start-up automaker headed by renowned automotive designer Henrik Fisker shopped the forecast to 12,000 units in November. Now Fisker has reduced that goal once again, to 10,000 units.

According to the company, extensive mileage and emissions certifications are to blame for getting the car to market slower than expected. In addition, Fisker has encountered other issues with a recent software glitch that halted production, as well as a recall as a result of a possible coolant leak.

GALLERY: Fisker Karma

[Source: Just-Auto]

After a half a decade of build-up, sales of the Chevrolet Volt are not going as planned. With a targeted goal of moving 10,000 units in its first full year on sale GM moved 7,671, leading to speculation that the American auto giant won’t be able to meet its lofty forecast for 60,000 sales in 2012.

Further casting doubt upon the success of the Volt is the fact that the rival Nissan Leaf (a fully electric vehicle), met its 10,000 unit sales target, despite the fact that (as GM’s Volt commercials accurately point out), the Volt is better suited to the needs of vastly more American consumers.

With a now-resolved crisis over the cars that could catch fire, GM is facing another roadblock, it’s dealers. According to a new report by Automotive News, Chevy dealers across the country are rejecting mass-allocations of Volts. In New York City GM offered 104 Volts to its 14 local dealers last month. Dealers only took 31.

Even dealers that have had no problem selling their Volt inventory in the past are now being cautions. Brett Hedrick, of Hedrick’s Chevrolet in Clovis, Calif., said he’s turned down offers by GM the past two months.

The news of low dealer orders has been confirmed by GM PR rep Rob Peterson, citing the misinformation surrounding the car’s recent safety concerns. Still, according to GM North America President Mark Reuss, supply, rather than demand, is the automaker’s biggest problem.

[Source: Automotive News]

After every auto show there’s normally a lull in new product news as media and PR folks alike decompress. That won’t be the case with this year’s Chicago Auto Show, however, with the reveal of electric car maker Tesla’s new crossover the day after the Chi-town press day.

The reveal won’t be anywhere near Chicago either with Tesla announcing yesterday it would reveal the new Model X at its Design Studio in California. The new model is expected to sit on a modified version of the same platform used for the Model S electric luxury sedan and make use of similar powertrains.

Tesla recently announced pricing for the Model S, which will start at 49,900 after a federal tax rebate. The top Signature package will retail for $69,900 after tax incentives and will deliver a 300 mile range plus a 0-60 time of just 4.4 seconds.

The fuel wars are heating up as automakers search for new ways to squeeze more mileage out of their cars. While some might take this chance to preach doom and gloom for future cars, Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne isn’t ready to call the Road Warrior just yet.

Some companies are turning to electric vehicles, others to extended-range hybrids. Yet another school of thought is turning to diesel engines to meet mounting expectations for fuel consumption. In the face of what seems like a trembling industry, unsure of what the next revolution will be, Marchionne stands strong.

“I believe in our industry’s ability to find solutions. Even with traditional combustion engines, we have only skimmed the surface of the ability to squeeze out higher fuel efficiency levels, allowing us to extract much more power out of smaller displacements,” Marchionne said during an appearance at the Automotive News World Congress.

For the time being, he is determined that diesel engines will remain reserved for larger cars, like the Jeep Grand Cherokee (pictured above), which Chrysler will begin assembling in Detroit early next year. Diesel engines, despite their shrinking stigma, are still a minority consideration in the overall U.S. market. We really like some of the small car diesel variants to pop up recently. For example, Mazda will offer a diesel version of their Mazda6 sedan in 2013, as will Chevrolet with the Cruze.

Despite that, Marchionne is hanging onto the gasoline engine and hoping cars like their recently unveiled Dodge Dart will tackle the small car market and capture young consumer imaginations. Critics of his stubborn resolve might want to hold their opinions for now, considering the about face Marchionne championed since 2009, taking Chrysler from near-ruin to respectable territory.

“Fiat and Chrysler come from two different pasts, but they have something very strong in common,” said Marchionne. “Both have been to hell and back.”

GALLERY: 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

5. 2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv

What’s the best car of 2012? Who knows. Is a Porsche GT3 RS 4.0 better than a Ferrari 458 Italia? What about the Scion FR-S? Or a Prius Plug-in Hybrid? The past year has seen the launch of numerous excellent vehicles, including some we really didn’t expect to be any good. That said, we’ve put together our list of the top five surprisingly good cars of 2012, starting with the updated Mazda3.

We thoroughly enjoyed the new 3 (read our 2012 Mazda3 review here), something that’s not at all surprising at first. What is more of a shock is that it was Mazda’s new Skyactiv model, designed primarily for fuel economy, and that it managed to deliver in that department while sticking true to the brand’s Zoom-Zoom slogan.

Adding to our reasons for placing this car on our list of surprisingly good cars is the technology behind it. At both a preview event and the actual drive, Mazda gave us a deep-dive into the engineering solutions behind its new SkyActiv technologies, rethinking every aspect of the engine and transmission for this updated model. When Ford sold off its shares in Mazda recently many skeptics proclaimed that in this new era a smaller company like Mazda couldn’t possibly hope to be competitive without a large partner like, say, Toyota. But Mazda has proved them wrong, not only competing, but perhaps delivering the the only 40 mpg car that’s actually fun to drive.

Mitsubishi has achieved decent amounts of success with the i-MiEV electric car in its home land, and also in Europe, where this model is also sold badged as a Peugeot iOn.

Next month, the i-MiEV will be going on sale in America (called simply the “i” in our market), which will no doubt increase sales numbers of this innovative commuter car.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, Mitsubishi has announced an ambitious plan to electrify themselves, by producing eight electric-vehicles by 2016.  These will include plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles.

Part of this new plan is to produce small SUV’s and light trucks which will attract farmers, contractors, and others who use light trucks as part of their work.

Mitsubishi is well under way with this new project, and expects to put its electric truck on sale globally by April 2013. It’s not clear if the light truck will be part of Mitsubishi’s North American line-up, but its other electric vehicles will be available here.

Mitsubishi hopes to sell 42,000 electric vehicles in 2012, double the number it moved this fiscal year. The American market is a crucial part of Mitsubishi’s goals. The “i” car as mentioned before will go on sale soon with a starting price of $29,125, minus the Government rebates.

[Source: Automotive News]

The new year is rapidly approaching and with it a host of new vehicles begging to be driven are sitting in dealer lots waiting to wow shoppers. When it comes to new cars, those shoppers often expect more for less as new models hit the showroom, but that wont be the case for electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf (pictured above).

Next year the government is removing three of the four subsidies available to consumers as incentives to adopt the new technology. The fourth, and arguably most important, will remain in the coming year. A total of $8,500 in tax incentives will get the ax as the ball drops in Times Square, which represents more than half of the total $16,000 in incentives offered this year. Consumers buying EVs next year won’t enjoy this year’s $1,000 maximum to install a home charging station, $2,500 maximum for two- or three-wheeled EVs with 2.5-kWh batteries or larger and the $4,000 maximum for converting either a hybrid to plug-in or a regular ICE to EV power.

People purchasing EVs will still be eligible to receive up to $7,500 in tax credits for buying a new plug-in vehicle, though the subsidy depends on the size of the battery in the vehicle. These incentives are meant to boost the number of EVs sold and will be phased out on a per-manufacturer basis once the individual automakers sell more than 200,000 plug-ins.

It might be good to act before the new year if you’ve been planning on cashing in with those incentives, but don’t worry about losing out on the $7,500 credit that will remain. The 200,000 vehicle figure isn’t likely to be hit any time soon thanks to low selection and relatively high prices for EVs with or without bonuses.

[Source: AutoBlog]

10. Fiat Returns to America

As another calendar year draws to a close it’s time to take a look back at the top 10 biggest stories of the year in the auto industry. It’s been a busy 12 months, starting all the way back in March when the Fiat 500 officially went on sale, marking the return of the brand to America. The last time an Italian car was sold here that didn’t cost six figures (or close to it) was 27 years ago. Since then, Fiat has introduced the 500C convertible model and most recently the Fiat 500 Abarth, aimed at enthusiasts.

The jury is still out on the Fiat brand’s success in North America, although the first year has failed to live up to expectations, with Fiat predicting sales of 50,000 units, while according to automotive data firm GoodCarBadCar only 17,444 have been sold in the first 11 months of the year (add 5,000 more if you include Canada). Some of this may be the result of Fiat’s marketing initiative with several ads featuring Jenifer Lopez, which the Fiat faithful rejected and many believe cost the brand boss Laura Souve her job. Getting the Fiat dealer network up and running also proved a challenge.

With more models coming, and Alfa Romeo set to return in 2013, Fiat is here to say. More importantly, perhaps, is the Fiat connection to Chrysler – a company it saved from bankruptcy and which it is now slowly rebuilding back into a profitable automaker.

BMW is turning to Brilliance Jinbei Automobile, an already-established Chinese partner, to work their way around new legislation aimed at promoting Chinese cars.

Ian Robertson, director of sales and marketing for BMW told Automotive News Europe said the new brand, which will exist solely to sell electric vehicles in China, will only use limited BMW technology. That decision is in contrast to the i3 and i8 cars BMW plans to release in other markets, including the North America and Europe.

This isn’t the first time BMW and Brilliance have worked together to market a vehicle in China. Last April we reported a story on a 5-series plug-in hybrid meant for Chinese markets that the companies worked together on.

[Source: AutoNewsEurope]

Ford will significantly expand its lineup of 40 mpg or better models in 2012, launching not only the new C-Max Hybrid and Energi plug-in hybrid, but also the new Focus Electric.

The Focus EV, says Ford, is expected to achieve a miles per gallon equivalent (mpge) rating of 100, besting the Nissan Leaf by a single digit. This would make it the most efficient model available in the US, were it not for the 126 mpge Mitsubishi i.

As a result of these new offerings, Ford says almost one third of its lineup now has a 40 mpg or higher model.

In addition, giving the Focus Electric an edge on the competition is a new charging system that allows the battery to be recharged in half the time of the Nissan Leaf, using a 240 volt outlet. Ford says this works out to roughly 30 miles per hour of charging.

The Focus Electric will get a new MyFord Touch system designed to work with electric vehicles and provide more information for drivers. In addition, a MyFord Mobile app will allow owners to charge their vehicle remotely and check on battery life, state-of-charge and more.

In addition to it’s eco-friendly nature, Ford is touting the Focus EV as a livable 5-seater, with “real driving enjoyment”.

At launch, the Focus Electric will be available in just California and the New York/New Jersey areas, and later in 2012 Ford will expand the launch markets to include: Atlanta; Austin and Houston, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; San Francisco; San Diego; New York; Orlando, Fla.; Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Portland, Ore.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.

GALLERY: Ford Focus Electric

It’s been one year since the Nissan Leaf hit North America, and to celebrate, the automaker is going to expand this EVs availability into new U.S. markets.

If you live in Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, you’re in luck – Nissan has re-opened reservations and has begun taking orders for the 2012 Nissan LEAF (this brings the grand total of states that will selling the LEAF up to 50). These locations can expect deliveries of the LEAF in the spring 2012.

“Nissan LEAFs have been on the U.S. roads for one year now, and thousands of drivers have become living proof that a 100-percent electric, zero-emissions vehicle fulfills the daily needs of drivers from all walks of life,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, NNA. “We are seeing already-strong interest in the LEAF continue to grow across the country. This market expansion brings us one step closer to true, nationwide availability.”

Sharing Toyota‘s stage with the production Prius Plug-in Hybrid at the Tokyo Motor Show are two eco-conscious concept cars that give a clear hint as the the automaker’s future green car plans. The FT-EV III Concept is a near production electric city car, that will go on sale next year (branded as a Scion in North America). Moving several years beyond is the FCV-R fuel cell concept. Looking like something that actually might make it to production, Toyota has said it plans to offer a fuel cell vehicle to fleets by 2015.

GALLERY: Toyota FCV-R Fuel Cell Concept

For more on both cars, watch the video below:

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The star attraction of Honda’s Tokyo Motor Show press conference is an all-new electric sports car concept. Initially billed as the Small Sports EV Concept, at it’s debut Honda is now referring to the car as the EV-STER.

The rear wheel drive two seater looks like a spiritual successor to the Beat sporty car. Measuring 3,570 mm or 140 inches it’s about two feet shorter than the Honda S2000. With a max electric output of 58 kW (or 78 hp) Honda claims a 0-60 time in 5.0 seconds. Sound too good to be true? It is. That’s 0-60 km/h, not miles.

Honda claims a 160 km (100 mile) range, roughly equivalent to its new Fit EV, with a 6 hour charge using a conventional plug and a 3 hour charge time with a 200 volt outlet.

GALLERY: Honda EV-STER

See video of the car below:

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One of Honda‘s numerous reveals today at the Tokyo Motor Show is a wild little concept car referred to as the “Micro Commuter Concept.” An EV designed for personal transportation it is a half-foot shorter in length than a Smart fortwo, but offers room for three thanks to a central diving position with a passenger bench area located behind.

The interior space can also be used to fit the Honda Motor Compo, an almost briefcase-sized box with wheels and handlebars that essentially works as an electric bicycle. It’s more than just that, however, also functioning as an electric power source.

Other features of the Micro Commuter Concept include a large heads-up display, with driver information projected onto the lower section of the windshield. As for operation, Honda has designed what it calls “twin lever steering” that is says uses natural arm movements to control direction. The body of the car covers over the wheels, both for safety and aerodynamics, while colorful panels can easily be swapped with others to help personalize the car.

GALLERY: Honda Micro Commuter Car Concept

Proof that Toyota is serious about launching its own electric car is the FT-EV III Concept, unveiled today at the Tokyo Motor Show. The third in a string of such concepts this will be the last, as the near-production vehicle shows. A telltale sign of the vehicle’s roadworthiness is an interior not unlike that of a production model, sporting design cues from other Toyota products, while adding unique EV touches.

Using a lithium-ion battery pack mounted below the floor and with an electric motor, Toyota claims a total driving range of 65 miles with room for four. Toyota refers to the FT-EV III (Future Toyota – Electric Vehicle III) as a “near future” concept and we expect to see a production version, branded as a Scion iQ EV sold in the U.S. next year.

GALLERY: Toyota FT-EV III Concept

See AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Tokyo Motor Show Coverage here