The damaging effect of climate change is being felt around the globe. From the unpredictable weather changes, vanishing ice caps, shrinking land masses, and rising flood waters, every known industry of the human race are adopting measures to counter the effects of this crippling reality. As one of the key players being blamed for Mother Nature’s plight, the automotive industry has increased its level of concern and involvement in preserving the environment.

Electric vehicle technology has grown by leaps and bounds during the past few years. This can be traced to the oil crisis during the 70’s and 80’s when car manufacturers had their backs pushed against the wall as the prospect of having dry oil wells hit the automotive industry. It brought back renewed interest in electric cars.

General Motors (GM) fired the first salvo by introducing the EV1 in 1999. Sold in limited quantities, the EV1 was equipped with NiMH batteries and on a full charge, had a range of 260km. Another electric car which pushed the popularity of electric vehicle technology to another level was the REVAi. A product between a joint venture of Maini Group of India and AEV of California, the REVAi took seven years to develop and was formally launched as the G-Wiz in the United Kingdom in 2001.

Despite making inroads in fuel-efficient or environment-friendly automobiles, demand declined during the 90’s as America’s big three concentrated on pushing the SUV market. This SUV mentality would eventually lead to the fall of Detroit, as the Japanese manufacturers quietly developed an electric car for the mass market. Although Honda was the first hybrid car to be sold in production volumes, it was the Toyota Prius that gained commercial success. First sold in Japan in 1997, the Prius Hybrid vehicle was subsequently sold worldwide in 2001. It has since gained a profitable foothold of the Japan and North American market and is sold in 40 countries around the globe. In 2008, Toyota sold 1.43 million units of the Prius and by middle of this year, its 2009 version had already clocked in 1.2 million Prius units sold. The sales figure generated by the Prius alone has left Formula One aficionados wondering why Japan’s number one car marker opted to bail out of the sport.

Electric cars of today
One of the most promising electric hybrid cars in the market today that could bite at the coattails of Toyota is the Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle or I Miev. Introduced as the Mitsubishi Colt EV at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, this Mitsubishi Colt-based electric car has lithium ion battery-powered electric motors located in the wheels.

The production version of the I Miev does not have in-wheel motors like its previous concepts. Instead, the production version will be powered by a single permanent magnet synchronous motor mounted on the rear axle with a power output of 47 kW and a torque output of 180Nm. Mitsubishi says that the I Miev has a range of 160km and a top speed of 130 kph.

Another Japanese hybrid that created a buzz during this year’s staging of the Tokyo Motor Show is the Nissan Leaf. This EV-11 prototype electric car is based on the Tiida platform and uses an electric drive train powered by an 80kW electric motor with a 24Wh lithium-ion battery pack. Nissan says that it has a range of 160 km. The Leaf is expected to hit global showrooms in late 2010.

Subaru of Fuji Heavy Industries has already released electric cars for the corporate lease segment of the Japanese market. Known as the Subaru G4e, this electric car is currently under development and testing in Japan. Unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, the G4e has enough interior space to fit five adults and was lauded for its innovative wedge design with a drag coefficient rating of only 0.276.

On a full battery charge, this plug-and-play G4e can drive you up to 200 km and can be charged from a home AC power source. The G4e comes with a quick battery charger that allows you to charge the lithium-ion batteries up to 80 percent in just 15 minutes. Ariel de Jesus of Motor Image Pilipinas, the local Subaru distributor in the country, revealed that despite Subaru’s advancement in electric vehicle technology, the company is focused towards Hybrid technology and developing the world’s first boxer type diesel engine.

With current electric cars not having a grunt under the hood like gasoline-powered vehicles, Tesla Motors of California answered back with their own version of the hybrid electric car that amazed the Italians and Germans. Much praise and respect has already been accorded to the Lotus-Elise based Tesla Roadster, which has enough juice to accelerate from 0 to 60 km/h in 3.7 seconds. On a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries, the Tesla Roadster can travel up to 393 km and its reliability was further tested when it won the World distance record last month at the Global Green Challenge held in Australia. The Roadster clocked in a distance record of 501 km on a single charge.

With its innovative battery-to-wheel technology and rapid acceleration, Tesla is reportedly hard-pressed to meet market demands for their battery-powered sports car. Tesla also revealed that 700 roadsters has been delivered and shipped in the United States, Europe, and Canada. The first Asian delivery for a Tesla Roadster unit was made for the Sultan of Brunei and two Japanese sports car collectors. The Sultan, a known car collector, reportedly had a charging facility built at the palace for his electric sports car. Based on current dollar rates, a Tesla Roadster carries a sticker price of P5,014000.00.