Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Battery Is Burning Issue for Electric Cars' Future

Manufacturers racing to make batteries that won't burst into flame

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 11, 2008 6:37 PM CST

(Newser) – One main obstacle is holding back the electric car, the Wall Street Journal reports: its unfortunate tendency to burst into flames. Lithium-ion batteries, the only kind small and light enough to power the industry’s designs, have a history of overheating in laptops and other... Read full story »

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

You need to Log in to Newser to comment. Don't have an account yet? Sign up now!

There are no comments

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Cops Shoot Naked Guy Eating Man's Face on Highway

Japanese Artist Serves Up Own Cooked Genitals

Wall Street Journal (Source Grid »)

India gets totally electric car
Sify.com

Who saved the electric car?
Driving.ca

Technology • Money

Toyota • electric cars • auto industry • Chevrolet Volt

More Newser Stories

GM: We'll Buy Back Your Volt

CEO makes offer to those worried about fires

(NEWSER) - General Motors says it's willing to buy back its Chevrolet Volts from any customer concerned by fires in crash tests . If needed, the auto giant also is prepared to conduct a recall of the 6,000 Volts currently on the road, Dan Akerson tells the AP . The company would fix them after the cause of the fires is determined. "If we find that is the solution, we will retrofit every one of them,” he adds. More»

Car Mag Tweaks Limbaugh: Driving, Oxycontin Don't Mix

'Motor Trend' picks Chevy Volt as car of year; Rush not pleased

(NEWSER) - Rush Limbaugh really, really hates the Chevy Volt, and when Motor Trend named it the 2011 car of the year, he railed against the magazine, asking "How in the world do they have any credibility?" Now a Motor Trend editor has fired back, ThinkProgress reports. “If you can stop shilling for your favorite political party long enough to go for a drive, you might really enjoy the Chevy Volt,” writes Todd Lassa. “Just remember: driving and Oxycontin don’t mix.” More»

Disaster Awaits Chevy Volt

Nothing about this car makes sense

(NEWSER) - Like Rush Limbaugh , auto industry observer Edward Niedermeyer can't think of too many reasons to plunk down $41,000 on a Chevy Volt. Among his complaints: It's too expensive, it has the interior room of a cheap economy car, the business model is lousy—GM could have sold it a loss initially, as Toyota did with the Prius—the leasing deal doesn't make sense, and GM has quietly scaled back first-year production to 10,000 units because of its shortcomings. More»

GM to Sell Chevy Volt for $41K

Electric car priced close to manufacturing costs

(NEWSER) - GM will sell its flagship electric car, the Chevy Volt, for $41,000, the Detroit News reports. GM executives announced the price, along with a 3-year, $350-per-month lease deal, at the Plug-In 2010 conference in California today. Buyers can get an additional $7,500 off the sticker price through a federal tax credit. It can also be applied to the lease agreement to cut the monthly payments to $200. More»

Volt Could Spark GM Bailout

Electric car may be speedy route to green image—and help

(NEWSER) - GM is about as likely to turn a profit with the Chevy Volt as the Edsel is to make a comeback, Holman W. Jenkins Jr. writes in the Wall Street Journal. But the ailing automaker may be aiming to improve its image rather than sell cars. With the automaker's image suitably greened, a federal bailout may become more politically acceptable, Jenkins suggests. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Battery Is Burning Issue for Electric Cars' Future

Manufacturers racing to make batteries that won't burst into flame

Toyota • electric cars • auto industry • Chevrolet Volt

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

GM: We'll Buy Back Your Volt

CEO makes offer to those worried about fires

Car Mag Tweaks Limbaugh: Driving, Oxycontin Don't Mix

'Motor Trend' picks Chevy Volt as car of year; Rush not pleased

Disaster Awaits Chevy Volt

Nothing about this car makes sense

GM to Sell Chevy Volt for $41K

Electric car priced close to manufacturing costs

Volt Could Spark GM Bailout

Electric car may be speedy route to green image—and help

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?