Tesla Motors is planning to unveil the first prototype of a new vehicle, described as having "the functionality of a minivan with a design as cool as an SUV" on February 9th at Tesla's design studio in Hawthorne. Tesla’s all-electric sedan, the Model S, is set to hit the street this summer. Read more here.

A pair of new reports from San Francisco-based Next10 and Pike Research conclude that the electric vehicle industry is alive and growing, with California leading the way. In its news report “Powering Innovation,” Next10 finds that California ranks first in venture capital investment in electric vehicle-related technologies and patents and has the most electric vehicle charging stations per capita. In its “EVs: Ten Predictions for 2012,” Pike Research, meanwhile, forecasts more than a quarter-million plug-in electric vehicles will be sold in the nation this year." Read more here.

Palo Alto officials have adopted a new policy to encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. Under the new policy, the city will provide incentives for customers to charge their vehicles during off-peak hours and provide a "quick and efficient" permitting and inspection process for the installation of chargers. Read more here.

On December 15th, the UC Davis Plug-In Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Research Center presented findings from current research projects at PG&E’s Pacific Energy Center. Featured presentations at this EV Research Symposium included discussions on the impact of workplace charging, the dynamics of fast charging networks, projects such as the City of San Francisco Fleet & Chrysler PHEV Pickup Project, and more.  Presentations and related publications can be found on the UC Davis PH & EV Research Center's research webpage.