New York is the place to be this week for all things automotive and amongst the throngs that have journeyed to the Big Apple to gawk at the latest offerings were a group of hard-core Chevy Volt fans. They came from all across the country to gather together under the banner of "Volt Nation" for a chance to see the concept version of the object of their affection up close and ask questions of some of the GM executives responsible for the E-Flex development program.

Organized by Dr. Lyle Dennis (pictured above on the left), creator of the popular GM-Volt fan website, the group of about 300 souls converged on the Jacob Javitz Center for an event that, for probably the first time, brought car company officials and consumers together to ask questions of each other. Our favorite GM exec, Bob Lutz, was on hand as was design chief, Frank Weber.

So what was learned about the upcoming Volt? From scouring the posts of attendees we hear that the battery should begin life with a 50 mile range, that's 10 miles more than originaly thought and it can be plugged into regular 110V outlet or 220V. It is being designed as a "global" vehicle so it could sport either right hand and left hand drive and will comply with emissions regulations world-wide.

We'll have a video of the event in a bit. Video after the jump.

[Source: GM-Volt]

Tomorrow, MDI will show the Big Apple what an air car looks like. The unique compressed-air-powered vehicle will be unveiled during the Automotive X Prize's big announcement on Thursday. We've been following the progress of the Air Car for quite some time, and look forward to letting our cameras take a good look at this zero tailpipe emission vehicle, which might look different from the one you see above, if I'm reading the press release correctly. We won't be the only ones checking the car out, as the Air Car will be at the NYIAS through March 31. And, if you're not in town, you'll get your chance soon enough (if you're in America, anyway). Zero Pollution Motors (ZPM), the North American representative of MDI, will sell the six-seater in the U.S. some day, possibly 2010. Before then, though, MDI and ZPM will work together as a team in the Auto X Prize race. There's more after the jump.

Click image for a high-res gallery of the Transit Connect Taxi

The Ford Crown Victoria makes for a seriously great taxicab. It's durable and comfortable, but that V8 engine no longer meshes with the direction many cities are taking when it comes to their taxi fleets. Greener is better, but the trick is to improve without sacrificing utility. Ford will use New York, the ultimate Big City, as the backdrop for the premiere of the Transit Connect Taxi concept. With a 2.0L four-banger motivating things, the Transit Connect is fuel efficient (19 mpg city) with 90% lower tailpipe emissions than many of the traditional cabs prowling the city streets today.

If you thought the Crown Vic was spacious, this thing must be like riding in a mobile racquetball court. The tall roof is augmented by large glass panels that add a sense of airiness to the passenger cabin. The clear partition between driver and passengers is also home to a 13-inch infotainment/payment system powered by the Ford/Microsoft Work solutions system, and while. Decked out in yellow and charcoal gray, the transit taxi certainly looks the part, and if it can handle the relentless punishment cabs endure daily, it looks like it could be an attractive alternative. A hybrid system would make it even more so. Ford, you listening?


[Source: Ford]

Click image for a high-res gallery of the Nissan Denki Cube concept

Yesterday, the Financial Times reported that Nissan will unveil its electric Denki Cube concept in New York. Based on the standard Cube minicar, the Denki (Japanese for "electric") shows that Nissan is also looking at the market viability of EVs. It's not alone, as Subaru will be showing its R1e and Mitsubishi will display its i MiEV along with the i MiEV Sport concept.

We don't yet have official details on the Denki Cube, but photos tell a lot of the story, and as is the case so often in the runup to auto shows, those photos have hit the web this morning. The Super Nissans forum has accelerated the unveiling schedule for Nissan, breaking the embargo and posting the shots you see here. Visually, the Denki Cube is finished in white with lightning-pattern grillework, dressed-up headlamps, and hole-punch patterns on the front and rear bumper covers (the taillamps show through those rear openings). Solid wheel covers with square centers complete the exterior makeover. Inside, the standard interior gets a swanky new instrument panel, but the layout is essentially unchanged. Yellow seats and trim highlight the otherwise white cabin.

We'll bring you live shots and complete details following the car's official unveiling tomorrow! A series of customized Cubes will also be unveiled for the first time, and we'll be on hand to provide full coverage.


[Source: SuperNissans.net]

Click image for a gallery of the Subaru R1e in New York

That Subaru R1e caught driving the streets of Manhattan over the weekend foreshadows the expansion the car's field-test program to the United States. Subaru is expected to make a formal announcement within the next hour or so, but we can preview it for you here now. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) will receive two R1e vehicles to pilot in the same way the cars are being used in Japan.

To recap, the R1e is a full-EV version of the Japan-market R1 microcar. Driven by a 40 kW motor powered by a Li-Ion battery pack, the R1e is being field-tested by employees of both the Tokyo Electric Power Comany and NEC Lamilion Energy, Limited. The Japanese government lauded this effort last year. There are currently forty of the cars in service in Japan and Subaru hopes to bump that number to one hundred. When connected to a quick-charger station that's also part of the pilot testing, an 80% charge can be achieved in just 15 minutes. When plugged into a standard household outlet, the car will fully recharge in 8 hours or so. Operating range, according to Subaru, is 50 miles and the car boasts a top speed of 65 miles per hour.

The R1e will be on display at the 2008 New York Auto Show starting this weekend, and we'll update this post with Subaru and NYPA's formal announcement as soon as it hits the wires.

UPDATE: Official Subaru announcement has been added after the jump.

Click image for a photo gallery of the '09 JDM Honda Fit

The redesigned Honda Fit is ready to hit the US as an '09 model, and Honda will give it a big Broadway debut at the New York Auto Show next month. Okay, okay -- it's more like a big 11th Avenue debut, but you get the point. The overhauled Fit essentially blends the shape of a Prius with the face of a last-gen Civic Si. The end result is a subcompact with midsize-level interior room. It should do well at the pump, too. Don't look for the 98-horsepower Japan-spec 1.3L base engine to make the trip to the US, however. Instead, we'll probably get the 1.5L i-VTEC that makes 118 horsepower. That's a 9-horse jump over the current car, and it's capable of achieving a maximum fuel economy rating of 46 mpg under the Japanese test cycle. We'll have to wait and see how it rates under the EPA's program. AutoblogGreen will be there when Honda drives the car onstage in the Javits Center, and we'll provide full coverage from New York. In the meantime, if you want more info on the Japanese-market version, check out our October post on the topic.


[Source: Honda]