RUSSIAN ELECTRIC CARS

In 1899, Hippolyte Romanov developed the first electric car in Russia (St. Petersburg). The style for his vehicle was borrowed from the Brittish cab, where the driver was located up behind the passengers. The vehicle was four-wheeled, the front wheels with a larger diameter than the rear. It used lead acid batteries and could go 60 miles before it needed to be charged again.

A Trolley Electric Vehicles was also invented by Hippolyte Romanov, who had visited St. Louis in 1903 as part of Russia`s preparations for the 1904 World`s Fair. 

When World War I was raging in Europe, the Romanov family looked east for escape. After crossing the Ural Mountains, Hippolyte Romanov, who was carrying the equivalent of $40,000, and his family boarded the Trans-Siberian Railroad. In Siberia, they boarded a freighter for Japan, then Hawaii and finally California.

In San Francisco, the Romanov family was detained aboard ship because U.S. authorities thought they were members of Nicholas II`s imperial family, who also were named Romanov. When the confusion cleared, the mayor of San Francisco apologized and asked Hippolyte's Helene Romanov, to sing at an opera house. 

The family finally settled in New York City. While Romanov worked on his inventions, Helene gave piano and singing lessons along with taking in White Russian boarders

The first Pobeda was developed in the Soviet Union under chief engineer Andrei A. Liphart. "Pobeda" means "victory"; and the name was chosen because the model's first tests were done in 1943 at Gorky Avto Zavod (GAZ, "Gorky Car Plant"), when victory in World War II began to seem likely.

The above Silver Pobeda was converted to Electric by Estonian based ZEV Motors

Above is from CO2 E - Race/ Green Dive in Riga 2010, with Director of the Danish Cultural Institute in Riga Simon Drewsen Holmberg holding a speech.

Above, Bo Harald Tilberg who is the Director of the Vilnius Nordic Council of Ministers office in connection to the 2010 "Vilnius CO2 Green Drive".

Technical Features of ё-crossover from Yo Auto

Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov's Yo-auto, along with Russia-based truckmaker Yarovit, is investing about $200 million in a car-making plant that's received public support from Putin. This past April, Putin took a prototype of the hybrid on a three-mile test drive to the home of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Prokhorov also acquired the NBA's New Jersey Nets not too long ago.

Above the latest Exhibition/Concept made ё-mobile hybrid, with a dual-fuel system including methane and petrol.

The Yo Auto Webside has a nice feature:

Goal: shape future “ё” models’ individuality

Idea: denial of complex lines and body elements, original approach to implementation of technical solutions

Design: prevalence of aerodynamic shapes

Engineering: new concept of door opening

Style: environmentally friendly innovative car

The doors slide into the back, and can definitely be compared to the Electric DeLorean's Wing Doors.

The "NOSE" feature in the back, gives the design a look of a Face. The design was developed by a staff designer of yo-auto Andrey Trofimchuk. It will however not be mass produced, but function more as inspiration for future production. Much like the Tesla Roadster opened up the door for the Model S.

EL LADA moved fast into the Russian market and was the first to put Electric Cars on Russian Roads in a long time. It has a 60-kilowatt (80-horsepower) electric motor that delivers a top speed of about 80 miles per hour (around 130 km/h) and a single-charge range of about 100 miles (161 km). The five-door compact hatchback EV got its first day-to-day road experience when it's tested when the First five El Lada cars were brought to the Stavropol district  as ‘Green Taxi’, to services in the Local Mineral Waters resort. 



Video in Russian.

EL LADA - Does sound rather Spanish. The French Brands Nissan and Renault has recently become the 50% owners of LADA, and it is no wonder that the brands behind the Leaf and Fluence Z.E. has interest in electric cars in Russia. The Nissan Leaf was also featured in Chris Paine's "Revenge of The Electric Car", that with Ancient Warrior Style in mind, was first on the Global market with a mainstream Electric Car.

...that was awarded "Car of the Year" in 2011. Above from the Hong Kong version "Clean Air Drive" in December 2012.

Then there is Renault with their collaboration with Better Place and an all Electric Fluence Z.E. with a for Denmark functional system and infrastructure that was initiated in 2009 and recently implemented in the whole country. The above Fluence Z.E. on Amagerbrogade in Copenhagen, during the 2011 Copenhagen version.

One might wonder if the French 50% owners of EL LADA also selected the models and dresses for the ladies that pose next to their cars at Car Shows? Events that include alcohol, Interaction between men talking about engines and horsepower has a tradition of including young women in small dresses or if possible bikinis.

The above photo from the Danish Custom Car Exhibition "Street Fire", showcasing the Danish Electric Car LYNX:

that in above clip did rather well in the Drag Race with a Tesla Roadster at Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix in 2009.

The above is an interview with Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Renault-Nissan from Chris Paine's 2011 Documentary Film "Revenge of the Electric Car". If he really means what he says about the environment and the concept that "Passion is a Strength", the future for Electric Car in Russia seems bright. 

With the potential Russia has with producing Natural Gas, Water, Wind and Solar Energy, the new fleets of Russian Electric Cars might even be more sustainable than most other countries in the West. Unfortunately, most of the time the electricity for the electric vehicles on the road in 2013, is produced with Coal and Oil. It will be interesting to see what step Russia will make in taking steps towards sustainability.

Among a large variation of sources online and of course the film "Revenge of the Electric Car", a very helpful article came from: Green Auto Blog