GM cuts workers and plants as it shifts focus to electric vehicles

General Motors announced today that is planning to lay off 15 percent of its contract workers, shutter five plants in North America, and discontinue production on six vehicle models next year. The move comes as part of a major restructuring of the ca...

ICYMI: Watching plants grow and playing ‘Mario Kart’ with an actual car

Today on In Case You Missed It: The thought of watching a plant grow seems, well boring. But researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology in Austria used lasers, fluorescent lights and a microscope to track the growth of a flowering w...

Inhabitat’s Week in Green: Elon Musk’s solar energy plan

It's been a good week for environmental news. For starters, world leaders sealed the deal on a historic climate agreement in Paris, President Obama announced the largest energy efficiency rule in US history and congress extended solar and wind tax cr...

Inhabitat’s Week in Green: The new Prius and a two-legged puppy

2016 is shaping up to be a tremendous year for green transportation. This week Honda announced plans to launch its Clarity Fuel Cell car next year in the US, while Gogoro is getting ready to roll out its battery-swapping Smartscooters in Europe. Ch...

IRL: BlackBerry Q10 and the Chevy Volt

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

Fun fact: IRL was inspired by long-term car reviews -- the sort of detailed write-ups you can't expect after just a week of testing. Appropriately enough, then, we've got some impressions of the Chevy Volt from Engadget Spanish editor Jose Andrade, who's already on his second model. Meanwhile, you'll also find some thoughts on the BlackBerry Q10 from who else but Canadian editor Jon Fingas.

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GM and ABB repurpose used Chevy Volt batteries to provide home backup power

GM and ABB repurpose used Chevy Volt batteries to provide home backup power

We've heard previously about GM's and others' plans to recycle and reuse electric vehicle batteries after they've outlived their automotive usefulness, and it looks like one of those possible solutions is making some considerable headway. GM and ABB, a company focused on power and automation technologies, have announced that they've successfully demonstrated an energy storage system built from five used Chevy Volt batteries, which would be capable of providing two hours of backup power for three to five average homes. As the companies note, while they're no longer suitable for use in an electric vehicle, the average end-of-life battery has only used up about 30 percent of its charge, the rest of which can go a long way in other applications (especially when a few of them are paired together). Of course, this is all still just at the demonstration stage, but ABB's Allen Burchett says this demo is an example of "how fast this research concept is turning into reality," and that the next step is to test out how the system will actually work on the power grid.

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GM and ABB repurpose used Chevy Volt batteries to provide home backup power originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 23:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt EcoHub app tells drivers how little they pay to charge, goads them into staying green (video)

Chevy Volt EcoHub app tells drivers how little they're paying to charge video

GM's OnStar team would really like us to stay on the electric side of the Chevy Volt's powertrain as much as possible. That's the selling point, after all. Rather than simply preach green driving and hope for the best, the division is testing a new EcoHub app that reminds Volt drivers just how miserly their plug-in hybrids can be. Qualifying owners who opt in or subscribe to OnStar have the Volt's energy usage costs compared to their home's total electricity bill, showing how much cheaper it can be to avoid the gas pump. There's more if money isn't enough of a motivator -- the app also builds in a counter that estimates how much gas Volt drivers are saving nationwide. The eco-friendly ego boost is currently limited to Android users participating in Pecan Street's smart grid project in Austin, but long-term plans have the app reaching iOS and all Volt fans eager to justify their ride.

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Chevy Volt EcoHub app tells drivers how little they pay to charge, goads them into staying green (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 23:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fisker lands former GM exec and Chevy Volt guru Tony Posawatz as CEO

New Fisker CEO Tony Posawatz

Fisker hasn't had what you'd call the best year so far, but it may have found the ticket to turning its hybrid vehicle business around. Meet Tony Posawatz, Fisker's new CEO -- and, until just weeks ago, GM's Vehicle Line Director. Despite being the second new chief executive at Fisker since Tom LaSorda arrived in February, Posawatz needs little explanation for his sudden rise to power. He's an original member of the Chevy Volt leadership structure and could very well know a thing or two about developing a hybrid car from start to finish. His influence might only be keenly felt when the Atlantic wheels its way towards driveways in 2014, but there's no doubt he's onboard to right the good ship Karma and improve Fisker's reputation in the short term. We wouldn't want to be in GM's shoes as it watches one of its EV-friendly veterans so publicly jump ship, however.

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Fisker lands former GM exec and Chevy Volt guru Tony Posawatz as CEO originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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