Electric Cars

Roger Angel, an astronomer at the University of Arizona, stands in front of his new project: a solar tracker. Angel wants to use the device to harness Arizona's abundant sunlight and turn it into usable energy.

Telescope Innovator Shines His Genius On New Fields

Joe Palca

Astronomer Roger Angel completely revolutionized the large telescopes that scientists use to look at the stars. Now he wants to use his mirror technology to make solar energy cheaper and more efficient.

Better Place is building a network of electric car battery changing stations throughout Israel. The idea is to make changing a spent electric battery as easy as pulling into the gas station for gasoline. Here, Better Place CEO Shai Agassi is shown in front of a cutaway model of an electric car at the company's showroom in Tel Aviv earlier this month.

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Don't Charge That Electric Car Battery; Just Change It

Tara Todras-Whitehill

Some drivers in Israel now have electric car batteries that never need to be charged. They can just pull into Better Place, a company that has built battery changing stations designed to be just as convenient as gas stations.

The new all-electric 2013 Honda Fit EV is seen during its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, in Los Angeles.

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At The Equivalent Of 118 MPG, Honda Fit EV Becomes Most Fuel Efficient Car

Eyder Peralta

The electric vehicle can travel 82 miles on a single charge.

Heather Peters and her 2006 Honda Civic hybrid. She went to court over its disappointing mileage.

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County Judge Overturns Small Claims Hybrid Judgment Against Honda

Eyder Peralta

The case garnered national attention after a California woman took Honda to small claims court, where the multinational wasn't allowed to have a high-priced lawyer. It was a story of David taking on Goliath with both on equal footing.

Environment

Electric Cars in Colorado Have Higher Carbon Emissions, Says Group

Grace Hood

The electric car may be the next big hope for reducing carbon emissions, but one environmental advocacy group says just how effective these vehicles are鈥�

FedEx CEO Fred Smith, seen here in 2005, says he's is concerned about the effect oil consumption has on the U.S.

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Oil Scare Turns FedEx On To Energy Efficiency

John Ydstie

When Fred Smith started FedEx in 1971, the company nearly didn't make it because of the spike in fuel costs related to the Arab oil embargo. That experience led Smith to turn FedEx into one of the leaders in looking for alternatives to power its vans, trucks and jets.

Business

GM Suspends Production Of Hybrid Volt

Nathan Heffel

General Motors has decided to put its electric hybrid car the Volt on hiatus for 5 weeks so consumer demand can catch up with supply.The CEO of the鈥�

Workers assemble a Chevrolet Volt at GM's Detroit Hamtramck Assembly Plant in October. The auto maker says it will idle the plant for five weeks, to allow demand to catch up with inventory.

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GM Puts Volt Into 'Neutral' To Let Sales Catch Up

The Associated Press

General Motors will suspend production of its Chevrolet Volt for five weeks, due to disappointing sales figures. GM spokesman Chris Lee said the move will "align production with demand." GM sold 7,671 Volts last year, below its original goal of 10,000 cars.

Environment

NREL Partnering with Google to Promote Electric Cars

Kirk Siegler

The Golden-based National Renewable Energy Lab is partnering with internet search engine Google to promote the spread of electric car charging stations in鈥�

Northern Colorado Electric Motor Company On a Roll

Erin O'Toole

UQM Technologies of Longmont is adding employees and space. KUNC鈥檚 Erin O鈥橳oole talks with Boulder County Business Report publisher Chris Wood about鈥�