Tesla to deliver two electric vehicles to the world’s largest auto maker by the end of month TNR.v, TSLA, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, LMR.v, CLQ.v, HEV

In the end Toyota's investment in Tesla was buying time to market for Electric Cars. This is very encouraging news. Tesla's battery and power drive technology multiplied by Toyota's mass production facilities means a mass market for Electric Cars. Now we have more clues why Japanese trading houses are so active in Lithium market space.

"It is a very significant development not only for Tesla, but for Toyota and EV mass market evolution. Tesla has gained more credibility with this move and it is all about Tesla S model mass production. Roadster was making headlines, but not sales numbers. Tesla S promised to be a 5 seater with more than 200 miles range and price tag of 50000USD. It will not be able to compete with Nissan Leaf at USD25000 after federal tax rebate, but it is the move into right direction. Now apart from Mercedes, Tesla can count on Toyota's expertise in safety, mass production and cost control. Toyota way into EV space is not straight forward, it is the case when actions are more significant than words and sometimes words could be misleading. Toyota announced last September that after years of research they do not see Lithium batteries as a commercial choice for Hybrids at the moment. Lithium juniors crashed with the news hitting the wires. After that surprisingly Toyota place on display a few advanced models of Hybrids and plug-ins with lithium batteries an Frankfurt Motor show 2009. Toyota engineers at the show were talking about clear advantage for use of Lithium batteries. Later 2009 Toyota trading house took a stake in upcoming Lithium developer Orocobre Resources with lithium brine salar in Argentina. Now they have quickly moved into Tesla buying the time and expertise on lithium battery side and controlling systems. It has happen just weeks after the usual bashing of EVs and that Hybrids are the only way in the future."

Business Standard:

Tesla formalises Toyota deal, to deliver two cars

Reuters / San Francisco/nagoya/japan July 11, 2010, 0:00 IST



Electric car maker Tesla Motors said on Friday it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japanese auto maker Toyota Motor Corp to deliver two electric vehicles to the world’s largest auto maker by the end of month.

“Since our announcement in May, Toyota and Tesla engineering teams have made a lot of progress in a short amount of time and it is exciting to start seeing some initial results,” Tesla Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel said.



“The prototypes will combine Toyota vehicles with Tesla electric powertrains,” Straubel added.

Tesla had announced the partnership to develop electric vehicles with Toyota in May, but revealed in a regulatory filing that it had no formal deal in place with the Japanese auto maker.

The MoU was signed on Thursday, a Tesla spokesman said, but declined to reveal which Toyota vehicles the company was working on.

Earlier on Friday, Toyota President Akio Toyoda told reporters in Japan Toyota was interested in experimenting with Tesla’s approach of using lithium-ion battery cells developed for the electronics industry as a potential alternative to developing batteries tailor-made for its own vehicles.

“We’ll see which better meets the needs of consumers. We’re taking a multi-faceted approach,” Toyoda said.

Engineering teams from the two auto makers had been meeting and working on the prototypes, Tesla said. The comments represent the most detail the two companies have provided about the scope of a still-developing partnership with Tesla announced in May by Toyoda and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Meanwhile, Toyota was also continuing work on a battery-powered small car the Japanese auto maker planned to launch in 2012, senior executives said on Friday.

Toyota invested $50 million in Tesla in a private placement after the electric vehicle maker’s initial public offering (IPO) in June. After zooming 40 per cent on their first day of trading on June 29, Tesla shares have come back to earth and are trading around their IPO price of $17.

Toyota Executive Vice President Shinichi Sasaki said the world’s largest auto maker was open to other partnerships, like its Tesla deal, as it believed a number of alternatives to traditional gas engines could find a market in the next few years."

Powered by Lithium: All electric Renault DeZir to take on Audi R8 TNR.v, CZX.v, LI.v, RM.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LIT.v, TSLA, AONE, HEV, BYDDY, RNO, NSANY,

The more we have toys like this in the design studios the better: they will lead to the practical EVs on the streets and idea that somebody is spending money during recession on exercises with EV like this is very encouraging. Automakers are giving a very serious consideration to the Electric Cars now.

"In order to bring reality into the recent hype with Tesla IPO, we need EVs on the streets as soon as possible. Tesla's IPO showed that there is an appetite for the sector and nobody would like to miss it, we can be sure that it put Electric Fever on investor's radar screens. How the TSLA stock will behave before Model S will hit the road and company will continue its losses is another matter: we have addressed it in Electric Car Value Chain. In order to talk about EV mass market we need GM Volt and Nissan Leaf to be on the roads later this year. Electric Cars is a geopolitical play - who will be able to get off the Oil needle first China or U.S Corp? Obama knows it and he is pushing for new legislation, Big Oil will strike back for sure and here where people will be able to vote for real with their choice. What will be the adoption rate of EVs: one of Washing Machines or Mobile Phones one with an explosive growth? It will be the key to low profile small lithium development sector. Markets caps are so small that with one Tesla IPO you can get reasonable amount of control in the entire sector in Canada now. We do not think that it is for long any more. With Electric Cars available on the streets Lithium sector will pick up again into the next Bull Leg from recent consolidation stage. Not all wanna be in Lithium will make it and time is to pick the winners during the summer downturn. Scared Fed will help us with Catalyst as well: Helicopters are coming with cash again and markets will be probably saved again to fool investors with nominal returns. Watch the US Dollar for the answers as well."

All electric Renault DeZir to take on Audi R8?


Feast your eyes on Renault’s latest concept car. This absolutely gorgeous all-electric car has, in our opinion, more than a passing resemblance to the beautiful Audi R8. Named the DeZir the French car maker’s latest concept will be one of the stars of the Paris Motor Show in early October.

The DeZir project is the first to have been led by Laurens van den Acker, Renault’s chief designer, and marks the start of a sequence of concept cars that will provide an insight into Renault Design’s new vision for the future. It also lays the foundations for the styling cues of Renault’s forthcoming vehicles.

"DeZir is a statement of our new formal design language which conveys notions such as movement, sensuality and emotion through ideal proportions, in much the same way as an object whose forms have been honed by nature. The result is a warm, stimulating design that says ‘Renault’," explains Axel Breun, Renault’s Director of Concept Car and Show Car Design.

The DeZir is a two-seat coupe, with 21” tyres, and a range of some 100 miles on a single charge. DeZir’s front end features a full-width air-intake which strikes out either side of a large, vertically-positioned Renault logo that proudly displays the car’s brand pedigree. Meanwhile, the chrome finish of the lozenge contrasts with the dark aspect of the grille to express the statement still further. The air scoops situated at the outer extremities of the front air intake are a legacy of Renault’s formal styling language and form an integral part of the air intake’s design, as do the headlights which sit above these scoops.

The basic motor in the car is similar to that used in Renault’s soon-to-be-released range of electric cars (more information), although the engineers have improved both power output and torque, to 110kW (150ch) and 226Nm respectively.

Battery cooling is ensured not only by the air channelled from the front to the back of the car, but also – and above all – by the flow of air that enters through the lateral scoops concealed behind the aluminium panels on either side of the body.






The car also features a Kevlar body, tubular steel frame, energy regeneration system KERS (as seen in Formula 1), and one of the strangest interiors we’ve yet seen.

The Paris Motor Show is a biennial event, usually alternating with the Frankfurt Motor Show, which is held at the Paris Expo between 2-17 October. Let us know your thoughts on Renault’s eye-catching car in the comments box below.

Author: Richard Lawton, July 5, 2010

Powered by Lithium: Masdar's Evolving EV System TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, LMR.v, LIT.v, ORO.ax, WLC.v, CLQ.v, RTP, BHP, GDX, AUY, NEM, GG, RGLD, GM

"We were running on Oil for the last 100 years - what will be the next Energy basis for our survival? If we account all expenses for Oil and military protection of its supply Oil price is already well above 100 USD/barrel. Now BP Oil Spill national disaster will add billions to this price. Will Obama use this chance and move his Energy Security Agenda forward now, when time is running out with every barrel of Oil burnt in our engines? We are talking not only about our life styles and poor birds dying in the Gulf: we are talking about West as a society based on Oil addiction. It is not sustainable any more. There is no Cheap Oil any more left:"

Masdar has its own part of financial troubles with Abu Dhabi bailing out Dubai real estate meltdown, but technology for Personal Rapid Transit is very interesting. It is powered by lithium and addresses personal transportation in the cities where mass transit failing to deliver necessary personalisation. "Death of suburbs" with Oil above 150 usd per barrel will be pronounced too early: we have technology to address congestion and Peak Oil scenario. You can drive your EV to the mass transit parking lot on the outskirts of the city and than use mass transit or PRT for commuting insider of the city. How many cars are waiting on the parking lots during the office time and than traffic get jammed at the peak hours? Narrow streets in the cities are less likely to be prepared to accommodate the peak hours traffic than major transport systems outside the city border. It is futuristic and it will not come tomorrow, but here is another way to address personal transportation and congestion on the streets with EV based on unique ability of advanced lithium batteries to store energy on board of the vehicle produced somewhere else with economy of scale and environmentally friendly.

Video: Personal Rapid Transit and Masdar City PRT

Masdar's Evolving EV System

By EV World


Report on current state-of-the-art Personal Rapid Transit system.
The United Arab Emirates sits atop some of the Persian Gulf's richest oil and gas fields. It is the fifth largest OPEC producer. In 2008 it pumped just over 3 million barrels of oil per day, exporting 2.7 million. It's total estimated reserves as of 2009 stand at 97.8 billion barrels. Natural gas reserves are estimated at just over six trillion cubic meters. Its chief exports are, naturally, oil and gas, as well as dried fish and dates.

Obviously, the real money is in energy, rather than agriculture or fishing.

Abu Dhabi's 2009 GDP was just over $200 billion, making it the 52nd more wealthy country in the world. It's per capita income at $42,000 is the 17th highest, while 85% of it workforce is made up of expatriates, 78% of whom working the service sector. Despite an official unemployment rate of 2.4% (2001), nearly 20% of the population live below the poverty line.

At the current rate of oil extraction, the country theoretically has enough reserves to last it over 90 years. But rather than rely on just its fossil fuel inheritance alone, Abu Dhabi, the Emirates capital, is determined to transform itself into one of the leading centers for sustainable energy research and development. The focal point of that very 21st century initiative is Masdar, described on the company website as, "Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted initiative advancing the development, commercialization and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions…"

And the centerpiece of this effort is Masdar City, a planned community launched in 2006 and intended to run on renewable energy alone with a zero carbon footprint. Designed by London-based architects Foster & Partners Ltd., the six-square kilometer (2.3 sq-mile) combination city/industrial park and research institute was originally envisioned to be walkable with motorized transport provided by up to 3,000 personal transit pods -- all electrically-propelled by lithium batteries -- as depicted in the above video. Conventional cars were to be parked outside the perimeter of the city, which is located adjacent to Abu Dhabi's international airport.

Now, along with revisions in the overall master plan due to the economic downturn that saw hotel reservations in Abu Dhabi, for example, plummet 54%, the developers are now reconsidering the pod-only transport system, allowing for the possible inclusion of either some form of light rail and/or conventional electric cars into community.

The revised -- and scaled back -- plan is due out by mid-Summer.

Additional resources:"

EV market:GM adds four states to electric car rollout list TNR.v, GM, CZX.v, TSLA, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LMR.v, BYDDY, AONE, HEV, RTP, FCX, GDX, F

"We were running on Oil for the last 100 years - what will be the next Energy basis for our survival? If we account all expenses for Oil and military protection of its supply Oil price is already well above 100 USD/barrel. Now BP Oil Spill national disaster will add billions to this price. Will Obama use this chance and move his Energy Security Agenda forward now, when time is running out with every barrel of Oil burnt in our engines? We are talking not only about our life styles and poor birds dying in the Gulf: we are talking about West as a society based on Oil addiction. It is not sustainable any more. There is no Cheap Oil any more left:"

We have a great news for EV market from GM - extension of roll out markets for GM Volt. New York state will be particularly important in order to generate buzz along with California and Washington, announced earlier. In order to bring reality into the recent hype with Tesla IPO, we need EVs on the streets as soon as possible. Tesla's IPO showed that there is an appetite for the sector and nobody would like to miss it, we can be sure that it put Electric Fever on investor's radar screens. How the TSLA stock will behave before Model S will hit the road and company will continue its losses is another matter: we have addressed it in Electric Car Value Chain. In order to talk about EV mass market we need GM Volt and Nissan Leaf to be on the roads later this year. Electric Cars is a geopolitical play - who will be able to get off the Oil needle first China or U.S Corp? Obama knows it and he is pushing for new legislation, Big Oil will strike back for sure and here where people will be able to vote for real with their choice. What will be the adoption rate of EVs: one of Washing Machines or Mobile Phones one with an explosive growth? It will be the key to low profile small lithium development sector. Markets caps are so small that with one Tesla IPO you can get reasonable amount of control in the entire sector in Canada now. We do not think that it is for long any more. With Electric Cars available on the streets Lithium sector will pick up again into the next Bull Leg from recent consolidation stage. Not all wanna be in Lithium will make it and time is to pick the winners during the summer downturn. Scared Fed will help us with Catalyst as well: Helicopters are coming with cash again and markets will be probably saved again to fool investors with nominal returns. Watch the US Dollar for the answers as well.

Sify:

GM adds four states to electric car rollout list

2010-07-02 06:40:00

Texas, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will join the states where General Motors will roll out its electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, GM CEO Ed Whitacre announced Thursday.

The debut list originally included Washington, D.C., California and Michigan. GM expects to quickly run short of Volts when the cars go on sale in November.

Austin will be the first Texas city where the Volt will go on sale because it is known as an environmentally conscious place, Whitacre said.

"This is a new technology. This is green. This is electric," Whitacre said. Other Texas markets will get the car shortly after Austin, likely in 2011, he said.

Whitacre drove up to a downtown Austin hotel in a Volt, which can travel 40 miles on pure-electric power. After that, the small gasoline engine will kick in to generate power for the electric motor.

The distance the car can travel will eliminate the "range anxiety" some consumers have with electric cars, Whitacre told an Austin chamber of commerce audience.

GM expects the Volt to sell briskly from the start, Tony DiSalle, the car's marketing director, said in a webcast on Thursday.

"We understand that we'll be short early, but we'll continue to market the car," he said.

The automaker plans to produce 10,000 Volts by the end of the 2011 calendar year and an additional 30,000 in 2012.

Volts will be sold first in California, Washington, Austin and the New York City metropolitan area, DiSalle said. They'll arrive in Michigan, New Jersey, Connecticut and the rest of Texas and New York in 2011. The Volt will be available in all 50 states 12 to 18 months after its launch, DiSalle said.

GM will require Chevrolet dealers selling Volts to keep one in the store for customers to view and drive even if there's high demand. They also must have certified Volt specialists in sales and service, as well as a 240-volt charging station in the dealership, DiSalle said.

The Volt will have electric car competition shortly after it goes on sale. Nissan Motor Co. plans to start selling its Leaf all-electric car in December. The company says it will get up to 100 miles on a single charge. The Leaf has no backup engine on board and must be recharged after its batteries are depleted before it can travel again. But it also uses no gasoline.

The four-door hatchback Leaf will have a base price of $32,780, but it's eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, making it closer to $25,000. The Volt is expected to cost around $35,000, or $27,500 with the tax credit, although pricing has not been announced.

Whitacre said that to call attention to the rollout, the Chevrolet Volt will embark on a four-day "Freedom Drive" from Austin to New York.

Whitacre told the Texas audience GM has made progress financially over the past year.

"For starters, we're making money again. That's an important milestone for the new General Motors," he said.

General Motors Co. emerged from U.S. government-led restructuring last July. The automaker plans to conduct a public stock offering that's at the heart of the company's revival.

The U.S. Treasury Department has said it expects to sell some of its 61 percent stake in GM when the company goes public. The initial public offering could happen as early as October. It's expected to be among the largest initial public offerings in U.S. history.

GM has said the IPO may occur in late 2010 or early 2011, and Whitacre said Thursday he had no updates on when it will be. Despite a still sluggish economy, he said this is a good year for a public offering.

"We're aiming for it as soon as we can get there," he said. "We have some things that we have yet to do. I can't have a date, but I think this is a good year to do it if we can get everything done. I think this is a great year."

___

Auto Writers Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report from Detroit"

Lithium Drive: Hybrid Electric Cars Likely To Attract 50 Million Potential Buyers TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LMR.v, HAO.v, ABN.v, LIT.v,

C.S. Surprise, surprise: 50 million - this number will make Electric cars the Next Big Thing with explosive growth rate. Nobody knows for sure, but it is our big IF - What if people decide that it is Cool to Drive an Electric Car? Please note the place of Asia in this estimation: it is demographic situation multiplied by disruption technology to address the Peak Oil scenario. We have a downside risk as usual: Deflation can still grip its power, but with scared G20 leaders RBS is calling now for QE and run of printing press at unprecedented level sighting "the best paper ever written on Depression" by Mr Bernanke. RBS was spot on the money before the crises (it did not help them anyway) and now we have them backing our case. After all the years betting "against the FED" we are putting our bets on the FED and its final resource. Situation is so bad in the Western banking system and with sovereign debt, that there is no other way than to Inflate our way out of the debt and keep all Insolvent system running preventing collapse. In case that we will not end our lives living in caves we will need to cope with much higher Oil prices and it is even more explosive than Bull market in Gold from 2002: we are talking not about wealth preservation, but about food on the table in five years time. With Oil solidly above 80 USD per barrel our Lithium squad will start its second leg up. European debt scare will pass with new amount of Liquidity pumped into the system: pockets of growth will benefit exponentially with flood of money fighting for the yield. Tesla's IPO brings big players into the sector and news wires into action and ignites Electric Fever. Lithium Rush will be next to follow.

Survey: Hybrid Electric Cars Likely To Attract 50 Million Potential Buyers

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- The plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are likely to attract about 50 million drivers globally, said a survey by Ernst & Young's Global Automotive Centre.

In a statement here Friday, Ernst & Young said over 25 per cent of the drivers surveyed across the US, Europe, China and Japan said they would likely consider buying PHEVs as soon as they were available on the market.

The survey said nearly seven per cent of the respondents indicated they would definitely consider buying a PHEV, it said.

"Applying each market's percentage of those who said they would definitely buy to the number of registered drivers in each region results in a potential early adopter group of approximately 50 million drivers globally, over half of which are in China," it said.

Ernst & Young Global Automotive Leader, Mike Hanley, said the survey showed that PHEVs and electric vehicles had the opportunity to make a significant entrance into the global automotive market over the next few years.

"Even if only a small portion of the survey respondents who said they would definitely consider one of these vehicles are serious, there will still be more than enough demand to sell out the estimated 2010 and 2011 production runs of the major and new vehicles manufacturers," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Electric Fever: Tesla prices IPO above range at $17 a share TNR.v, CZX.v, LMR.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, SQM, FMC, ROC, F, NSANY, BYDDY, HEV, AONE, FCX, GM

Tesla was able to price its IPO at the high band and is raising now more than double the amount announced before - it is a very good appetite for the first public Electric Car play. Will be interesting to see trading today in these kind of markets. Will Lithium plays be able to define the gravity as well in their trading now? Word about electric Mobility is out and Tesla will be the best PR campaign now.

MarketWatch:

Tesla prices IPO above range at $17 a share

By V. Phani Kumar, MarketWatch

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Silicon Valley-based electric-vehicle maker Tesla Motors Inc. said Tuesday it had priced its much-awaited initial public offering at $17 a share, above the planned $14-$16 range.

Earlier in the day, the electric car maker had increased the number of shares for the IPO by 20% to 13.3 million shares, of which insider holdings will constitute 1.4 million shares.

MarketWatch

Tesla logo outside a showroom in Chicago.

Tesla said that those selling shareholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1.995 million common shares to cover for any over-allotments.

The price implies an issue size of $260 million, including the possible sale of any additional shares to cover the over-allotment.

The shares are slated to begin trade Tuesday under the ticker TSLA.

Tesla, whose top-end Roadster model sells for more than $100,000, was founded in 2003 by Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and Chief Technical Officer J.B. Straubel. It has yet to turn a profit.

Nonetheless, the stock is likely to attract a cult following, said Scott Sweet, senior managing partner of IPO Boutique. Read full story on Telsa IPO."

End of Oil? Hardly, but Lithium market could bloom as tide goes out on oil TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, RES.v, QUC.v, AVL.to, FCX, GDX, SLW

Tesla's IPO, hopefully, will bring awareness about existing technology to address Peak Oil situation when we still have some time left. Next step will be to connect the dots and waken up to the security of strategic supply of Lithium and REE as a basis for new energy storage solutions and smart grid distribution systems based on V2Grid. We still need oil for air travel, plastics and another industrial application, transportation could be taken today out of Peak Oil situation and we can prolong Oil supply before other solutions will be found.

AFP:

Lithium market could bloom as tide goes out on oil

By Adrian Addison (AFP)

HONG KONG — Lithium is not much to look at. It's a soft and light, silver-white metal known for its use in mood stabilising drugs.

But the 25th most abundant element on earth could, one day, help cure the world of its addiction to oil -- as a key ingredient in batteries.

US geologists last week released the results of a survey showing around a trillion dollars worth of minerals in Afghanistan, which could make the war-ravaged state "the Saudi Arabia of lithium", according to a Pentagon memo.

But mining and technology firms have long been looking at lithium through eyes lit with dollar signs.

Lithium-based batteries are used in everything from mobile phones and laptops, to iPods and iPads, as well as military and medical hardware. They have even made their way into the human body, powering pacemakers.

But the main reason companies are betting on lithium is the projected explosion in the number of electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

Nissan, Honda and Toyota are among car-makers now gambling that electric vehicles, with their zero tailpipe emissions, will catch on and start to drive traditional gas-guzzlers off the road.

All will need batteries. Lots of batteries.

Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, and potentially new batteries such as lithium-air, are seen as the best option by many manufacturers over other battery types as they are lightweight and efficient, and can hold more power.

Subbu Bettadapura, Malaysia-based associate director of energy research company Frost and Sullivan, says the battery market is set to grow massively.

The lithium-ion battery market for electric and hybrid vehicles is, he says, conservatively-estimated to be set to grow from 2,400 units in 2008 to 1.53 million units by 2015.

"The tide is definitely going out on oil, in the long run," he told AFP. "The world's dependence on oil will decline and will be replaced by other fuels, such as lithium-ion batteries."

The US, the world's second biggest polluter after China, clearly agrees.

President Barack Obama has said he wants a million hybrid electric cars on America's roads by 2015.

And, at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new lithium-ion battery plant on Monday, Vice President Joe Biden said such factories could reduce US dependence on foreign oil and prevent disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

"This is the beginning of a revolution in the production of energy in the country," said Biden at the ceremony for Dow Kokam?s plant in Midland, Michigan, which will make batteries for 60,000 electric vehicles a year.

Japanese, Chinese and South Korean manufacturers dominate the lithium-ion battery market, and Asia-Pacific lithium mining projects are coming thick and fast.

Australian mining firm Orocobre signed a deal in January with the raw materials arm of motor giant Toyota for a lithium project in Argentina.

This month, a South Korean consortium launched a lithium exploration joint-project with a Canadian mining firm, also in Argentina. There are several other deals either signed or in the pipeline.

The world's largest lithium reserves lie in Bolivia at the Salar de Uyuni - in the remote southern Andean plane. But Bolivia's left wing government is not seen as a country friendly to foreign industry, so investment has tended to flow elsewhere -- to its South American neighbours.

Galaxy Resources, an Australian mining and chemicals company, will soon commission the world's second largest spodumene -- a source of raw lithium -- mine in Western Australia, to be processed at its plant in China.

Oil may have had its day, says Anand Seth, Galaxy's marketing chief, but it will be around for a long time yet.

"Is it the end of oil? I wish!," he told AFP. "But it is not so simple and probably not in our lifetime.

"The lithium batteries for electric vehicles are very much in the nascent stage and the infrastructure to charge these batteries needs to be developed and installed.

"The next five years will be critical in establishing such infrastructure for recharging the batteries and the technology and standardisation of batteries is also very important."

With IPO, Tesla bets on electric car's future TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, SQM, FMC, ROC, HAO.v, ABN.v, AVL.to, RES.v, QUC.v, LIT.v, NSANY,

Tesla's IPO will make news, when will it make money is another question. Future of Tesla depends on Model S which could become a breakthrough not only for the company, but for EV market as a whole. There were a lot delays in Tesla S launch and it is still years from the market, but IPO and Toyota stake in Tesla will make this progress moving much faster. Acceptance of this IPO will give us a very important indication about the market perception of this next big thing. Our place in Lithium market will depend on mass market for EVs and Tesla S is one of the important development for its launch. Who will make money in Electric Car space is still a very open question: for cars and batteries you need volume, right technology and the strong consumer market. Nissan Leaf and GM Volt have the best position now to capitalise on first entry basis, but share of revenues for Electric Cars in Nissan's and GM's financial statements will stay relatively low in order to bring any excitement of Dot.com bull. Battery makers and Lithium developers are providing the opportunity to capitalise on focused EV market launch plays now and you have to decide which risk you can tolerate more: technological or the one of mining exploration cycle. Even in the stagflation and low growth environment we will pockets of growth and Electric Cars with its disruptive technology to address Peak Oil situation is very well positioned for the next decade.

Tesla IPO Roadshow from SAI:

Tesla is a technology company, NOT a car company

"Tesla is a Silicon Valley company focused on technology and disruption. "Think closer to an Apple, or Google, than a GM or Ford," says Elon. Tesla is a "technology velociraptor."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/teslas-ipo-roadshow-2010-6#tesla-is-a-technology-company-not-a-car-company-1#ixzz0sA9JBVJG

With IPO, Tesla bets on electric car's future

• DAN STRUMPF

"NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) - Tesla Motors Inc. begins selling stock to the public on Tuesday. The sale's success depends on how much investors are willing to bet on a car company that has never made a profit, sells a single vehicle and expects to lose money until at least 2012.

As for the car, it's electric - a kind of vehicle Americans have shown almost no appetite for - and it's very pricey.

But the Palo Alto, Calif., startup believes Americans' taste in cars is changing. Most analysts agree with Tesla that the internal combustion engine will soon make room for greener forms of powering cars, such as electricity, as gas prices rise and environmental worries mount.

But Tesla faces bigger questions than just consumer taste. It has lost $290.2 million since it was founded in 2003 and has never had a profitable quarter. It doesn't expect the red ink to go away until it starts selling its next vehicle, a four-door electric sedan called the Model S, in large numbers. That isn't scheduled "until 2012, or possibly later," according to its business plan filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The only car that Tesla now offers isn't exactly a hot seller. Priced at more than $100,000, the two-door Roadster showed the world what electric cars can do, like accelerate to 60 mph in under 4 seconds. But Tesla has sold just 1,000 since 2008.

"They're going to have to have a dazzling road show explaining their numbers, which are not good," said Scott Sweet, who owns the research firm IPO Boutique.

Tesla will be the first automaker to go public since Ford Motor Co. held its initial public offering in 1956. It expects the stock sale to raise up to $185 million, which will fund the Model S and other corporate activities. The sale includes 11.1 million shares priced between $14 and $16.

Tesla's goal is to build 20,000 Model S sedans a year, which are expected to cost about $50,000 after federal tax credits. Tesla's production target puts it on par with other sporty luxury car brands, like Porsche, which sold about 20,000 cars in the U.S. last year.

Whether Americans will take to electric cars is another question.

One of the biggest obstacles to the wider adoption of electric vehicles has been their limited range compared with gas-fueled rivals. Supporters can argue that most people drive fewer than 40 miles a day, well within the range of the 300-mile-per-charge Model S. But Americans love their road trips and dread the thought of an electric car running out of juice mid-journey.

"There are very few places you can plug in your electric vehicle where you park, during your day, at the office," said Angus MacKenzie, editor in chief of Motor Trend magazine.

Even if Americans embrace electric cars, by the time the Model S arrives it will likely have stiff competition. Nissan Motor Co. is already taking orders on its electric car, the Leaf, which gets 100 miles per charge and is priced at about $25,000 after tax credits. The Chevrolet Volt, an electric car with a gasoline range-extender, goes on sale by the end of this year with a $35,000 price tag.

Tesla itself warned investors that it could lose any competitive edge if it fails to keep up with the latest advances in electric car technology.

But Tesla has its strengths, including some high-profile backers. Chief among them is CEO Elon Musk, the 38-year-old entrepreneur who was an inspiration for the playboy business mogul of the Iron Man films, Tony Stark. Musk's resume includes founding PayPal and running the rocket manufacturer Space Exploration Technologies.

"He's been successful at attracting capital, not just at this company, but other ventures," said Matt Therian, analyst with the IPO research firm Renaissance Capital in Greenwich, Conn.

Another key supporter is the U.S. government, which has kicked in a $465 million loan through an Energy Department program designed to encourage electric car technologies.

Other backers include Toyota, which last month agreed to sell Tesla a plant in Fremont, Calif., and invest $50 million in the electric car maker. Tesla plans to use the plant to build the Model S.

Toyota and others are "in essence, endorsing the concept, the product and management," said Sweet of IPO Boutique.

With everything riding on a little-tested technology, there's an echo of dot com-era bravado in Tesla's IPO.

Investors will decide for themselves whether Iron Man will be enough to lift Tesla off the ground."

TNR Gold 2010 Annual General and Special Meeting Held/Proceeds With Spinout of International Lithium TNR.v, CZX.v, RM.v, LI.v, WLC.v, CLQ.v, LMR.v, F

TNR Gold 2010 Annual General and Special Meeting Held/Proceeds With Spinout of International Lithium

Press Release Source: TNR Gold Corp. On Friday June 25, 2010, 11:14 am EDT

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - June 25, 2010) - TNR Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE:TNR - News; "TNR" or the "Company") held its Annual General and Special Meeting on June 22, 2010 and is pleased to announce that all agenda items, as outlined in the Company's information circular dated May 10, 2010, were approved and all directors standing for election were re-elected. The Directors for the ensuing year will consist of Mr. Gary Schellenberg, Mr. Kirill Klip, Mr. Paul Chung, Mr. John Fraser and Mr. Hari Varshney.

Mr. Gary Schellenberg was reappointed President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Kirill Klip was reappointed Non Executive Chairman of the Board and will directly support and advise the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Paul Chung was reappointed Secretary and Mr. Jerry Bella was reappointed Chief Financial Officer.

The proposed Plan of Arrangement involving the Company and International Lithium Corp. ("ILC") was also approved by the shareholders and the Courts of British Columbia. The purpose of the Arrangement is to spin-out TNR's lithium mineral property interests into a separate public company, ILC. TNR will now proceed with the spin-out and will update on the progress of the spin-out in further news releases. For further details of the spin-out please refer to TNR's May 26, 2010 news release or visit http://www.internationallithium.com.

ABOUT TNR GOLD / INTERNATIONAL LITHIUM CORP.

TNR and ILC are diversified metals exploration companies focused on exploring existing properties and identifying new prospective projects globally. TNR has a portfolio of 18 active projects, of which 9 will be included in the proposed spin-out of International Lithium Corp.

The recent acquisition of lithium, other rare metals and rare-earth elements projects in Argentina, Canada, USA and Ireland confirms the companies' commitments to generating projects, diversifying its markets, and building shareholder value.

On behalf of the board,

Gary Schellenberg, President

Statements in this press release other than purely historical information, historical estimates should not be relied upon, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, are forward-looking statements. News release contains certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company's business, including risks inherent in resource exploration and development. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.