New Fuel Vehicles

GE is planning huge investments in the future of electric cars. The news is that the company is geared to invest $4 million in Think, a company from Norway which manufactures electric vehicles. Incidentally, Think was formerly owned by Ford for rendering assistance in the field of research and development for future products. Think Ox is the company’s latest model which runs completely on electricity and is a five seater which guarantees 125 miles of range. This investment is part of a two prong initiative totaling to $24 which GE plans to invest in the field of hybrid and electric car technology. It is obvious that Think is excited and looking ahead in this mutually beneficial relationship. In the words of Jan-Olaf Willums, CEO of Think who is eagerly looking forward to many emerging opportunities with this new relationship with GE, “this relationship will help Think, the manufacturer of the first highway-approved electric car in mass production, to stay at the forefront of electric vehicle technology.”

Come 2012, and you could expect the German auto giant BMW to introduce its battery-powered eco friendly car for US consumers. The market is rife with speculations whether the future model would be a small car, a cross over or an electric vehicle. According to the CEO of BMW Norbert Reithofer, plans are afoot for launching the ‘ecologically compatible car for the US market’ in 2012, though no further details are available as yet. 2012 is an important landmark in the US when new CAFÉ standards come into effect. With BMW being labeled as a ‘large vehicle manufacturer’ this would entail more stringent quality and performance standards for the auto manufacturer. Reithofer, in an interview with Mobile Magazine commented that this could be a collaborative effort between BMW and another car maker who would be finalized sometime this year. He also mentioned that the introduction of the eco friendly model could be a precursor for a global launch for a brand new ‘mini car’ designed for major cities round the world.