| With gas prices rising worldwide and global warming | | | | been the balance of speed and distance between |
| gaining awareness, the need for alternatives is | | | | charges. Most electric vehicles had limited range, limited |
| undeniable. It's a new era of the automotive industry | | | | room for passengers or luggage, couldn't climb a hill or |
| and couldn't come a minute too soon. Green | | | | run the air conditioning without depleting the battery. |
| technology is today what the minivan was in the 80's | | | | Drivers also ran the risk of losing a battery charge |
| -- life changing ' and the next decade will set a new | | | | while driving and becoming unable to return home to |
| time in our history. | | | | recharge. |
| The demand first came for more fuel-efficient cars | | | | Enter electric car technology of today. With new |
| and automakers answered that demand slowly and | | | | technology and new automakers on the scene there is |
| reluctantly. But we now have cars that more than | | | | hope for electric vehicles. One automaker making a |
| double the efficiency of cars from 30 years ago. We | | | | splash is Shelby SuperCars, a newcomer with an |
| are more efficient, cleaner and safer in our | | | | impressive resume and engineering record. This is one |
| automobiles than ever. So, with the next era of new | | | | company to pay close attention to. |
| alternatives, we are entering an exciting phase of | | | | Most auto manufacturers leave out the aesthetic |
| automotive history. | | | | nature in their electric designs ' leaving the hybrid |
| Automakers from around the world have increased | | | | buyers with less-than-attractive body shapes and |
| their hybrid and electric vehicle production and have | | | | boxy designs. But the supercars of tomorrow are |
| put them on fast-track schedules in order to meet the | | | | tackling all the critics and designing for the 'eye' as well |
| demand. Gasoline powered vehicle plants have slowed | | | | as the environment. They are super 'cars' for so many |
| tremendously and a few automakers have even | | | | reasons. The newest breakthroughs in supercar |
| halted their own gasoline-powered production lines to | | | | technology are likely to have the 'trickle down' effect |
| create electric and hybrid production lines in order to | | | | and be altered to meet the demands of the masses. |
| capture the in-demand hybrid cars market by 2009. | | | | The next electric consumer vehicles could have |
| But hybrid and electric technology is not new. In fact, | | | | supercar roots. |
| the electric cars date back to the 1800's. Non | | | | The main challenge facing the automakers with green |
| chargeable electric cells were used in the first cars | | | | technology is funding. The battery and drive train |
| with much needed battery improvements coming | | | | engineering is expensive and finding potential suppliers |
| about in the late 1800's. The first electric land speed | | | | for long-range batteries is difficult. With cars like the |
| record was then set in Belgium in 1899 for a record | | | | Italian-made Reva raising $20 million and Tesla Motors |
| land speed of 68 mph. The car's range of 18 miles | | | | gathering $140 million in funding, it's safe to say the |
| was considered incredible in a time when people didn't | | | | electric market is not cheap. For the boutique |
| travel far to other cities because of lack of quality | | | | automaker Shelby SuperCars to be only seeking |
| roadways. The height of electric cars in America | | | | $5million is astonishing. They are currently raising $5mm |
| peaked in 1900 when electric vehicles outsold all other | | | | by way of preferred stock offering through investor |
| types because of the lack of vibration, smell and noise | | | | relations firm Sheffield International Finance |
| associated with gasoline cars. | | | | Corporation. To date, the Company has achieved its |
| Then, in the 1920's, better roadways brought about the | | | | world-class status with internal funding only. Although |
| need for longer range vehicles, crude oil prices | | | | the funding is now invitation based, the company is also |
| dropped and became affordable, and Henry Road | | | | entertaining government grants from green programs |
| began making history with his affordable vehicles for | | | | both Federal and State based. |
| the masses. | | | | 2009 should prove to be a historical year for the |
| The 60's and 70's continued the trend of slow electric | | | | electric vehicle market from minis to supercars and |
| vehicles with short ranges of 50 miles and land speeds | | | | every model in between. It's an incredible time for |
| of just 44 mph. Electric vehicles were just not practical | | | | technology. |
| for traveling. The challenge to automakers has always | | | | |