If Nissan EVs Falter, What Company Will Champion Electric Cars? PlugInCars

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has finally admitted what EV sales numbers have been clearly indicating since January, and what even the most casual observer of the electric car market could clearly see: Nissan will not meet its 2012 sales target for the all-electric LEAF.

So far this year, Nissan has sold 6,791 LEAFs, down 15.6 percent from this time a year ago. The company had predicted that sales would double this year.

With each passing week over the past few months, as Ghosn continued to deny the obvious, the company’s credibility as the leader in EVs was being eroded. In fact, just a few days ago, he refused to step back from the larger goal of Nissan-Renault cumulatively selling 1.5 million EVs by 2015. He instead suggested to Automotive News that electric car sales from Renault, including the Zoe model to be introduced next year, could help reach sales targets.

Ford triples number of EV dealers

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a hybrid, plug-in and all-electric vehicle war raging in the U.S. new car market right now and Ford is one of the parties engaged in it.

Attacking Toyota and its Prius range claiming that its own hybrids are superior isn’t the only way the Blue Oval plans to boost the sales of its “green” fleet that by early 2013, will include the hybrid and plug-in (“Energi” in Ford-talk) versions of the C-MAX and the Fusion, and the pure-electric Focus EV.

HARRISBURG, Nov. 1 – State Rep. Jesse White, D-Allegheny/Beaver/Washington, today called for state and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for alleged misconduct and fraud revealed by sworn testimony given by a high-ranking DEP official.

New Products:

Italian manufacturer CRP is set to reveal a prototype of its upcoming Energica motorcycle, Motorcycle.com reports. The company will present its new electric streetbike to the masses at the Casa Enzo Ferrari Museum on November 7.

A joint venture company, Sunportal, set up by British and South Korean scientists, promises that it can deliver natural sunlight to any windowless space via pipes.

From the Kansas City Star:

The Department of Energy has confirmed that its oldest double-shell tank is actively leaking radioactive and hazardous chemical waste from its inner shell.

DOE made the announcement Monday after a video inspection of the area between the shells Sunday showed more waste in one place than a video taken Thursday showed.

According to data provided by Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia Motor Vehicle Departments, there are approximately 500 EVs registered in the metropolitan Washington region. At least three major EV and PHEV models are available in the region, and service to convert hybrids to PHEVs is available.