6 hot electric car start-ups (CNNMoney.com)

[eppur_se_muova]

Each of these carmakers is gearing up to be the next big thing in electric automobiles. Here is how they're charting success.

Tesla Motors

Fisker

Aptera

Bright

Wheego

Coda


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more: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/autos/0911/gallery.electric_car_startups/index.html?cnn=yes




The commercial van by Bright is possibly the most interesting thing here. It's aiming for a very practical niche, not "show car" status. Businesses are going to buy delivery vehicles anyway, why not buy something that gets good mileage and saves money? Unlike a fuel-only vehicle, an electric vehicle can easily get extraordinary acceleration while still delivering high efficiency at cruising speed.

(A local pharmacy in MD bought Smart Cars for its deliveries -- fine for delivering prescriptions, and they got a lot of attention for the pharmacy. Not so practical for larger deliveries.)

[LynneSin]

1. Fisker just bought the old GM plant in Delaware

We're excited!

[wtmusic]

2. Tesla really scored by getting Franz von Holzhausen as design director

More experience than any other designer represented here, and it shows. Both of Tesla's models look...fantastic.