The 2011 model year is going to be a big one for those betting on electric propulsion. But while the spotlight is on big-name launches like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, it could be a big year for an assortment of second-tier brands betting they can charge into the automotive mainstream.
These are new names like Tesla, Fisker and Amp, companies that are betting their survival on the promise of a new market for battery-driven vehicles. Some, like Tesla and Fisker, are developing products from the ground up, but Ohio-based Amp’s strategy is to take existing gasoline-powered models and convert them to electric-drive.
The maker has just announced a partnership with an unidentified automaker to convert a conventional SUV to battery power. While we wait for more details on that deal, we took one of the maker’s existing products for a spin.
The Chevrolet Equinox is already one of the best new entries in the increasingly crowded crossover market. But how will it perform with electric drive rather than the standard four-cylinder engine? Quite well, we discovered, though our prototype Amp Electric Equinox did have one problem that needs to be resolved before the start-up maker ramps up production this year. Rest of article and source here.
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