More sightings of the next generation Toyota Prius prototype have occurred, and while it’s difficult to get an idea of the overall look, these new shots give us a chance to check out the interior.

It appears more sporty, and the central gear stick is of particular note, compared to the joystick of the current version. The touch screen and general driving position have also been lowered.

The new Toyota Prius should be released in the course of 2009, with the “old” nickel batteries and similar dimensions and volume to the current model, although station wagon and cabriolet versions are currently being developed.

Continue reading: Toyota Prius next generation: more spy shots

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As Carlos Ghosn had said last week, Nissan hopes to beat global competition in the race for the no-emission vehicle, starting production on a series of lithium ion batteries ready from 2009.

According to Automative News, for the first year we’ll see about 13,000 units, a figure set to increase to 65,000 for 2011. From 2010, sales of the electric cars will start in Japan and the US, followed in 2011 by Denmark and Israel, then the rest of the world in the year following.

General Motors and Toyota are also active on the battery front, but Nissan - at least on its word - has been the first to announce large scale production, making us think that rivals will find it difficult to catch up by 2010.

Continue reading: Nissan plans large scale battery production

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As we all know, Israel finds itself in a difficult position with the Arab world, as even with more moderate states where it has some middle ground, it’s risky that it will aggravate someone along the line.

It’s only in this climate that we can understand the Israeli politics of wrenching us from the dependency on oil, and the tenacious pursuing of projects in hybrid and electric cars. Renault knows something about this, and has for some time been courting a project of commercialising an electric car in Israel, together with the Project Better Place of Shai Agassi.

In the course of the next year on Israeli streets a small fleet of experimental four-door Renault Megane will debut. They will be equipped with batteries developed from a Nissan/NEC collaboration and will be capable of reaching a 125-mile autonomy. Concurrently, a vast network of “service stations” will see 500,000 recharge points across the state, that will serve in 2010 when vast scale production will start.

Continue reading: Renault: electric car debuts next year in Israel

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