Putting the zoom into electric cars

For the first time since the early 20th century, America is seeing a flowering of entrepreneurship in the auto industry. Today at least 11 new electric car companies, each working on a wide range of technologies, have launched or plan to launch models. These upstarts are not modest. They believe they can do what major automakers have failed to do: bring an electric car to the mass market.

By Brian Dumaine, Jamie Carroll, and Ingrid Tharasook

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Azure

Azure Dynamics offers electric and hybrid technology to the biggest gas-guzzlers out there: commercial vehicles. According to CEO Scott Harrison, these vehicles spend 12% of their time in urban areas, struggling through stop-and-go traffic. Hybrid vehicles can help lower fuel costs and cut back on heat-trapping gases. Azure has won contracts to supply hybrid vehicles to Fed Ex, Purolator, and the Mexico City government. The New York Power Authority has bought eight hybrid Citibuses (pictured here), which Azure built in partnership with StarTrans.

Next Little Thing 2008

The rise of electric-vehicle startups

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Sir Richard will help fund U.S. entrepreneurs, jetpacks will finally fly, and GPS devices will show the cheapest gas nearby - plus much more! (more)

Branson unbound

Behind the scenes at the Boston launch of Virgin Money, Richard Branson's new peer-to-peer lending service. (more)

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