Richard Canny, CEO of Th!nk (a Norwegian company that launched the Th!nk City vehicle) dismantles 10 prejudices surrounding the electric vehicle. Asked about different subjects that were of concern to consumers, such as battery range or the necessity of implementing infrastructures, Richard Canny responded that, firstly, anxiety about range would decrease as consumers get used to driving their vehicles on a daily basis. Then, in his opinion, batteries are designed to last ten years. Finally, the best way to deploy electric cars is to get them on the road first and then to add the infrastructure, thus avoiding waste (blog auto).

Being "trained" for the electric vehicle? The association Avem tells us that it has just signed a partnership to organise specific training sessions dedicated to fuel-efficient driving and using electric vehicles. These sessions, which will take place at companies or local authorities, will last between 4 and 7 hours.

Finally, Greenzer is surprised by the large number of electric and hybrid vehicles that will be displayed by China at the Beijing Auto Show 2010. Why is China going forward with the clean car? The website puts forward the following explanation: beyond an ecologically favourable commitment, China may possibly have it in mind to be the first to offer electric and hybrid vehicles at an affordable price … and to thus mock all those who are stigmatising the government’s poor commitment to sustainable development.

To build a "collaborative and progressive model of sustainable mobility in the Parisian left-bank district": such is the ambition of an original project, selected by PREDIT (a programme of research, experimentation and innovation in land transport), that is aiming to turn Paris’ 13th arrondissement into an exemplary territory in terms of citizenship and sustainability. According to the Groupe chronos website, the main themes, are, among others, the use of the car as a "service" and the shared organisation of goods and waste transport … Watch this space!

Remaining in the field of sustainable mobility, the Buzz écolo website introduces us to two designers’ concept for a green and sustainable elevated underground. It’s an elevated monorail that works off electromagnetic technology, fitted with solar panels on each car. Another important characteristic of the project: urban wind turbines will be installed along the length of the track.

The GreenUnivers website asks: from the total amount of energy consumed by vehicles in 2030, what proportion will be from clean energies? Even if many factors, such as evolving oil prices and the regulatory and fiscal environment, for example, have to be considered, the transport sector is destined to change profoundly between now and 2030, predicts a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The most optimistic scenario foresees that renewable energies will represent 80% of the total energy mix in certain countries. Only 27% of the experts who were questioned believe the likelihood of the $1,000 barrel of oil in 2030, which puts the catastrophic scenario for the sector into perspective.

Declaring sustainable mobility to be an essential priority and encouraging more collaborative research in road transport and the car sector: these, according to Green car congress, are the recommendations that the European Council for Automotive Research and Development (EUCAR) has recently made to the European Union. Will the EU listen?

Finally, Caradisiac presents “Eco-Mobility Partners”, the SNCF’s investment fund, which helps to finance sustainable mobility in France through innovative companies. The investment fund, created in 2008, is currently financing the following projects: car sharing with the company Vu Log, car pooling with the company Greencove, electric cars with the company Lumeneo, solar parking shelters with the renewable energy producer Coruscant, disabled access to public transport with Phitech and green town-centre delivery with the company Urban-Cab. The total amount of financing is €15m.

According to Autosblog, firstly, BMW is to create a sub-brand for the Megacity, a new electric vehicle aimed at urban mobility, which will be commercialised in 2013. Furthermore, the blog tells us, a new American site will see the light of day in Moses Lake (Washington State) in order to mass-produce produce carbon fibre for the manufacturer’s future models, including the Megacity.

On the occasion of the opening of the Hannover Fair, Volkswagen is exhibiting the electric Taxi Milano concept. Powered by a Lithium-ion battery, the taxi has a 300-km (186-mile) range and can reach a maximum speed of 120 km/h (75mph). The battery can be charged to 80% capacity in just over an hour (La Tribune auto).