There has been a huge amount of news in regards to the Tesla Model S because of the infamous review that pretty much tore the vehicle apart, but most of us who believe in this technology knew otherwise. Okay, so we know that the electric vehicle still has a way to go, but this is a step in the right direction.

Since that New York Times report we’ve seen a number of car reporters wishing to share their thoughts, and these latest Tesla Model S car reviews will entice your opinion. We cannot only see how these vehicles get on in the real world, but also one of the main features of the interior as well.

In one of the videos that we have for you above the reviewer wanted to show you how well the car performed when traveling from Las Vegas the LA, but there was an issue along the way that makes for an exiting video review. What happens proves that there are still many issues to be ironed out, not only to the Model S itself, but also the supercharger stations as well.

The second Model S video that we found on YouTube is another real world rest and begins like some a Paranormal Activity movie, although after a minute or so becomes a little more normal. While you’ll see that there are several issues with the car, it’s still a livable car, although with certain limitations.

Our final video takes you through some of the basic features of the Tesla Model S center console, which is the main hub of the interior. At the end of the day your final decision will come down to a number of factors; first of all you have to remember that this is not a long distance car, unless there are plenty of charging stations along the way – although even if there is it could be an issue if these stations are busy.

However, the biggest factor is the price, because it’s a lot to pay for a vehicle that is not very practical at this time.

Things were looking pretty good for the California-based company until the U.S. Department of Energy decided not to give them the full amount of the intended $529 million loan, and because they were around $336 million short the automaker had to layoff 65 workers. Analysts will have varying views on this; some will say things are fine while others suggest this is the end for Fisker.

Autoblog has been reporting that the Obama Administration could be to blame for reducing the loan amount but could they really go out of business without the loan? It’s hard to feel sympathy for an automaker because of the bailouts other carmakers have had in the past, and while this comes out of taxpayers money it’s always Joe public who ends up paying in the end.

While the idea of the Fisker Karma and Nina are great for the environment we have to wonder why they should be given such treatment from the government, then again isn’t it better to help a company such as this compared to a multi-billion dollar company like General Motors?

Fisker has only been around since 2007 and the thought of helping a company out that is looking to the future is surely worth the risk, although when you consider how much Fisker is asking for their models it does leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Maybe Fisker is going about it all wrong, instead of trying to get loans from the DOE they should start canvassing for more private investors who share the same vision as the automaker. However, they need to be careful because they are already in trouble with one investor who is now trying to sue them.

There is one other issue that the Karma has, which could be affecting interest from other investors and that’s the thought of achieving the same fuel economy as the Prius hybrid. While Toyota’s vehicle will not be able to achieve the same kind of speeds some drivers would rather trade this off when compared to the cost, and this could be the main reason why investors are slow in coming forward.

Whenever there is a standard car review one of the most important aspects is its miles per gallon figure, but this works differently for the EV. Consumers still want to know what the MPGe (e meaning equivalent) is between the Edison2 eVLC and the Nissan Leaf. Well put it this way, you will be shocked.

The Leaf has a 99 MPGe, which is compared to 245 MPGe for the Edison2. However, we would like to point out that we were promised 315, but this never translated under EPA tests. That being said, it’s still very impressive. Just to give you an idea of this achievement, the Tesla Roadster has an MPGe of 135 – not too shabby but still below the eVLC.

Autoblog Green says that this four-seater EV has a range of 115 mile, so still not practical for most people, but ideal if you only have to travel local. We could see these vehicles taking off in California – well they did fall in live with the Prius, and this has a much larger carbon footprint. However, we still have to worry how the electricity is generated to power these EVs, the next big step is fuel cell technology, but we are still a long way off.

Anticipation has now started to build for this new model, but there is still a lot we do not know, such as the fact that there will be two version of the EV. We have recently learned that there is to be a performance version, and if we are to believe what WSJ is telling us, then it will be able to out-drag a 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera from standstill.

The high-performance version will not have all its own way with the Porsche though, as they to have an option that will match the Model S, both will go from 0-60mph in just 4.5 seconds. The shocking thing is, the Tesla will do that kind of speed without letting out any harmful gasses from its tailpipe.

The performance figures for this new version has certainly shocked us, as it means that it will be up there with the likes of the Audi R8 and also the Chevrolet Corvette. The technology behind an EV still has a long way to go, but the Tesla Model S has managed to utilize the technology far greater than Nissan has with its Leaf. However, like all things you pay for what you get.

Back in March we had assumed that the starting price would be around $57,000, but this figure is more likely to be about $50,000 instead when it becomes available next year.

There are three reasons for this; the first is that there is still that dependency on gasoline, the second is that the fuel savings made can no way justify the price of an EV. However, the biggest issue is the practicality of the technology, as it is all very well if you just want to drive to and from work locally, but not if you want to go on vacation or have to travel further than your batteries allow.

For now the middle ground is still the hybrid, as it offers the best of both worlds – although in some cases a clean diesel offers a better mpg return. However, carmakers have realized this and have now started to offer hybrid diesels, which had a good showing during the Frankfurt Auto Show this year. The moment that drivers rebel and decide that enough is enough, only then will the likes of Honda, Toyota, Audi, BMW etc be able to bring the cost down.

An electric vehicle is a little like the first laptops and desktops, expensive at first but as popularity grows then the price tag will shrink. Once there are more EVs on the road then there is the issue with charging stations – well we have a theory on that. Currently there are not many of these charging stations, but if these electric vehicle become more popular then there is a way to increase the rollout these stations to charge the batterers in your Leaf or whatever other model you happen to be driving – parking meters.

There are millions of parking meters around the world, so why not upgrade them. Not only would you be able to pay to park but also charge your vehicle at the same time. Do you believe this to be a good idea?

As ExpertReviews explains, FCEVs are an alternative to the common EV as they use hydrogen fuel cells to power them, leaving nothing but water vapor emissions, which are harmless to the environment of course. EVs however use a collection of batteries, which are charged from mains, to power them.

The Hyundai ix35 is the manufacturer’s third-generation fuel-cell electric vehicle. The company promises the fuel cell technology that these vehicles use is capable of functioning in cool climates as low as 25 degrees too. They also promise acceleration of 0-65mph in 12.8 seconds, top speeds of 100mph and a driving range of about 360 miles from one hydrogen fill.

Managing Director of Hyundai UK, Tony Whiteborn stated the company’s excitement about revealing the new vehicle at this year’s show. He also suggested the company’s aims saying ‘The ultimate goal would be to see zero-emission vehicles on UK roads within the next few years.’ He believes the market infrastructure will be key in determining whether this goal can be achieved.

If you’re interested in getting a peek at Hyundai’s new FCEV, head on over to EcoVelocity, which is being held at the Battersea Power Station from the 8th-11th of September. The company will also be showcasing their high-efficiency combustion engine vehicles, the i20 and i10 Blue.

What do you think of FCEVs? Will you be attending EcoVelocity?

The dilemma which is occurring is manufacturers are reluctant to invest in producing electric vehicles as consumers are reluctant to buy them. As The Charging Point explains, this is because there is a distinct lack of car charging points, as putting these points in cost the government a lot of money and if there isn’t enough cars that use them there’s no point installing them; it’s a cycle that needs to be overcome in order for things to progress.

The way which this must be overcome is for part of the cycle to take a risk and we have news that the UK government has done exactly that, as they have invested in a motorway to include a car charging network of points that offer EV drivers an open road to break free of the city. The world’s first national motorway dedicated to EV drivers. What’s more important is these points are actually free of charge, an incentive perhaps to encourage more drivers to invest in EVs.

The firm fronting this new charging network is green energy company Ecotricity, a company that plays a vital role when it comes to providing renewable energy as they supply a large percentage of it such as wind turbines. They have launched 12 Welcome Break service stations each free of charge and 17 more are being promised before the end of the year. As the EVs have a short battery life in comparison to how long a vehicle can go with normal fuel, long journeys have in the past been impractical, this is not the case anymore thanks to the new network.

Though this news is exciting and seems very practical, the notion of being able to travel the length and breadth of Britain in an EV is still one that can only be imagined. A journey from London to Scotland for example would mean a driver would face refueling up to 7 times due to the capacity of current EV batteries. That’s not to say that things aren’t improving and maybe a journey like that would become far easier in the not too distant future.

What do you think of the motorway for EV drivers? Will the incentive have the desired effect and get more drivers investing in EVs?

The Roadster is not the only high-end vehicle to be offered at a great price, you can also get to drive BMW’s etc. However, one would expect that the Tesla would be one of the more popular, as we can get to see how great of a car it really is. This new Start-up has been set up for two reasons, the first is obviously to make the owners money, and the second is not letting good cars go to waste.

We say this because a huge percentage of our cars spend most of their time outside our house or place of work. To us that does seem like a waste of money; just consider how much it has cost you to purchase your vehicle and how much work went into building it. Getaround hopes to solve this issue.

Could this finally be the start of something that could help get the economy back on track? More often than not people need to have the use of a car, but can never seem to find the one that they want. However, the biggest issue is with how long you would need a car for. More often than not a person only needs to hire a car for a few hours, but have to hire it for a day minimum. Well Getaround allows you to rent a car for an hour or longer at a time.

However, the longer the hire the cheaper it will work out in the long-term. Prices start at just $3 per hour, but that will not get you far with a Tesla Roadster, as that baby will cost you $50 per hour. However, that is much better than paying $109,000, which works out at 2,180 hours of rental or three months.

If you were lucky enough to buy a Roadster or any other new car, then why not let it earn money for you while it sits around all day. It is said that you could earn around $350 each month my just renting your car out for 15 hours per week. It will only take 1 minute to set up an account; it’s as easy as that so join here.

A few years ago the thought of an EV as they are now known was considered a future car or concept. There were one or two available, but not production models or those with a practical use. Having said that, the likes of the Nissan Leaf is only practical in certain circumstances, such as those who wish to commute to and from work or only have to do local driving.

The electric vehicle is still has a way to go if they have any hope of replacing the gasoline-powered engine, but we all have to start somewhere. We know that what we have as an alternative is a start and a good start at that, but what do we have for the future; here we will look at a few models that are coming in 2012 and 2013.

The model that we are most excited about is the 2012 Audi e-tron, and is an EV with a difference, as it is not afraid to go bold with the design. Like the R8, this Audi will not be cheap, but let’s face it you are not talking about your average electric vehicle here. The technology that the German automaker will use is not only going to be state-of-the-art, but also super green as well.

We expect Europe to see the car in late 2012 and early 2013 in the US. There is one issue that we do have though; we cannot expect it to have the same design as the one that we see below.

The Chevy Volt is not what you would call a fully-fledged EV, but it still has a lot of the same technology. The 2012 Chevrolet Volt MPV5 will be a different version of GM’s popular sedan, but will be one that driver’s want. Currently most EVs coming to market are either sedans or hatchbacks, so is a welcome change to have something a little different.

Now although we said that the technology is improving to make the electric vehicle more practical we do love the fact that having a crossover is yet another step towards that goal. We cannot say for certain when the car will be released, but we do know that it will make a showing at the 2012 North American International Auto Show.

The final electric vehicle that we thought needed a mention is the 2012 Tesla Model S. Unlike the e-tron that we mentioned above this model is not a concept. The company has already run a number of tests of this car, and early reviews seem to be very promising. This is what the Nissan Leaf hopes that it could be, not only does it have the performance, it also has the range to match. However, it will also have the price tag as well when it gets released to the public in second part of 2012.

These are just three EVs that we can look forward to next year, but how will they prove in this upcoming market?

Now consumer demand tells us that we need more vehicles like the Volt and Leaf, so it is nice to see a start-up coming right in amongst the big boys to shake things up a little. Luxgen’s MPV is an electric vehicle and early reviews seem very positive, and the most shocking part is that the car has not taken that long to develop.

Whenever you think about some of the top make cars in the world you think, German, Japanese or American. However, how often has the Chinese been put in that same category – if not they could be soon? The best part is that this vehicle has seven seats, something that the new Prius V was meant to have, but Toyota stalled at the last moment.

Autoblog had some time to test the new Luxgen EV MPV and although much larger than the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, they couldn’t help notice that it felt more agile and punchy. The interior seemed to be on par if not better than its rivals, but things were not all good, as there was a horrible noise coming form the drivetrain. Having said that, this is expected to be resolved when the production model comes out – when that is we do not know.

We have high hopes for this start-up, as they could show the big boys a thing or two. Something like this could give the likes of Nissan, Toyota, Ford and GM a wakeup call, as you do not have to be big and have a huge amount of resources to build a car that the consumer want.

So how do the three vehicles compare when it comes to how much power comes from their electric motors? The Luxgen has a 150-kW AC motor, the Volt 111-kW and finally the leaf 80 kW. Let’s not read too much into this, as the Luxgen needs that extra power because it weighs so much more than the other models. Having said that, this new start-up is all ready to shakeup the EV market, and we say good luck to them.