Things are looking good over at Tesla Motors. After securing a nearly half-billion dollar low-cost loan from the federal Energy Department, the electric car maker can move forward with plans for its new manufacturing plant.

The new facility is set to produce the Tesla S, a less sporty, more affordable everyday electric car. Along with the creation of about 1600 jobs for the beleaguered auto industry, the federal loan will also be a boon for the local economy in Palo Alto, CA.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk hopes to be churning out 20,000 S models by the end of 2013. Slated to have a sticker price of about $50K after a federal tax credit, expect to see the first round of Tesla S models hitting the streets in the next 2 years.

Source: Detroit News

In what may be the worst public-image reversals of the century, the already beleaguered Toyota corporation’s taken another hit. Along with the massive gas pedal recall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reporting over 100 complaints about poor brake performance on the flagship Prius.

Further proof that the grassroots electric-vehicle movement is alive and thriving, we ran across this wonderful website, The Electric Vehicle Photo Album. As a website, www.evalbum.com is nothing fancy, but it is exactly what it says it is—a photo album of electric vehicles. From bicycles and boats to conventional conversions and homebuilt hack-jobs, this site’s collection of nearly 3000 homebuilt electric vehicles is sure to spark your EV enthusiasm.

In their goal to sell one billion hybrid vehicles, Toyota knows it needs to expand beyond the Prius line. Meet the Toyota FT-CH Hybrid Concept. Measuring in at about the same size as the Yaris, the FT-CH will be even more fuel efficient than its Prius older brother. Expect to see this urban cruiser in 2012 with a sticker price just south of $20K.