Renault Suspends Managers on Suspicion of Leaking EV Secrets

French carmaker Renault has suspended three senior managers on suspicion of industrial espionage linked to the firm's electric vehicle plans. A company spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday that the three individuals were suspended over unspecified ethical issues.

“In late August 2010, an ethical alert was brought to the attention of the compliance committee," a Renault spokeswoman told AFP on Tuesday. "The investigation that followed led to the suspension of three Renault executives”, the spokeswoman added without providing any more details.

On Wednesday, unnamed inside sources told the news agency that all three individuals were in charge of electric vehicles projects, with one of them being a member of a 30-strong panel of executives headed by chief executive Carlos Ghosn.

The three men were required to leave their offices on Monday, but Renault has not yet filled a formal complaint.

The French carmaker plans to launch four electric models by the end of 2012 including the Fluence EV, Kangoo Express EV, Twizy and Zoe. Along with sister-company Nissan, Renault is investing €200 million (about US $263.4 million) a year in the EV programme.

Source: AFP via Yahoo News

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2012 Ford Focus Electric Teaser Photos Released Ahead of CES

We've known for quite some time now that Ford is preparing an all-electric version of its latest generation Focus subcompact, but the Detroit automaker released a set of cropped teaser images showing the car's plug-in port located on the front fender on its Facebook page today. The company also noted that it will have "big news" about the Focus EV at this week's 2011 Consumers Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Here's FoMoCo's statement: "On Friday at 11 AM PST, CEO Alan Mulally will have big news from the 2011 International CES in Las Vegas. We'll broadcast his keynote address on a Livestream tab on this page and have exclusive technology news every hour leading up to his address."

According to a previous announcements from Ford, the all-new Focus Electric will make its market debut in late 2011 in the U.S. and 2012 in Europe. The new model will be built at Ford’s retooled Michigan Assembly Plant and have an expected range of up to 100 miles or 160km.

The Focus Electric is one of five electrified vehicles Ford is planning to release over the next three years. In addition to the Focus Electric, the company will introduce the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van in late 2010, followed by two next-generation hybrid electric vehicles, as well as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in North America in 2012 and Europe in 2013.

Source: Ford Facebook

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Nissan's Leaf has Game-like Infotainment Screen so you can Beat your Friends at Saving the Environment

Nissan wants drivers of its new Leaf - which didn't seem to take as much time or PR mumbo-jumbo to reach the pavement as Chevy's Volt - to know everything there is to know about their cars and the trips being made in them.

In Nissan's case, trip transparency is provided by a handy-dandy system called CARWING. The program gives drivers a bucket o'information ranging from travel time to electricity consumption and "average energy economy" on daily, weekly, monthly or annual scales.

You can also compete with other owners for best efficiency levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum) thanks to some in-car "gaming". Thanks to MyNissanLeaf member gudy, we've got some screen shots of what the program looks like and some of the info available.

Take a look at the pics below and let us know if this kind of system would be of interest to "normy" car buyers. I'll vote...yes.

By Phil Alex

Source: MyNissanLeaf

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