Mercedes — like a lot of other folks — believes oil is going to run out eventually. But instead of waiting until the “Low on Oil” light comes on, the brand behind the three-pointed-star has set a goal to convert its entire fleet to run on alternative fuels by 2015. That’s seven years to get off the drink we’ve all been addicted to for well over a century.

In the pipeline first are fuel-efficient technologies such as Stop/Start on the marque’s next A- and B-Class models sold in Europe. Then come the BlueEfficiency vehicles with Mercedes’ supremely parsimonious diesel engines, and eventually the Diesotto first shown in the F700.

And then come the real showstoppers: ethanol, electric, and fuel cell vehicles. There are electric smarts running trials in London right now, and the F600 Hygenius is expected to eventually spawn some sort of production variant. On the face of it, seven years to go diesel- and gas-optional for an entire fleet is somewhat hard to fathom — but the prediction is coming from a company not previously known for wild daring. Even if they just get close to success, in only seven years, they might prove a nearby rival wrong about what’s doable under the new CAFE laws.

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In the same week that the British government is set to release a renewable energy strategy which will tout the benefits of increasing the usage of electric cars comes the news that the City of London is about to end its “free parking for electric cars” program. Apparently the feeling is that it has been successful and it is now possible to spot the odd electric vehicle (EV) on London streets. So what’s the problem? The city is “…concerned that the free parking has encouraged car use instead of the use of public transport, walking and cycling and does not consider this to be desirable in the highly congested traffic conditions prevailing in the City.” Um, okay. Now, you might not think that it’s such a big deal until you learn how much it costs to park in London.Try around £7000 ($13,784.51) a year.You can almost buy a new G-Wiz i for that kind of quid!

NICE Car Company, which recently sang the praises of newly-elected Mayor Boris Johnson and his pro-electric stance, has called the rationale behind the decision “plain daft” as well as “barmy”. In a press release discussing the issue, NICE co-founder Julian Wilford stated, “Car makers are moving mountains to bring electric models to market, but we have cars on sale now. Removing this incentive creates uncertainty at a time when consumers need clear, long-term signals on the benefits of clean, electric motoring. The City’s approach is the worst kind of green wash.” Hit the jump to read the notice received by current permit holders as well as the press release from NICE

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By the middle of the next decade Mercedes-Benz wants its entire lineup to be able to operate entirely free of petroleum. The German giant is working on a variety of technologies that will help provide crude oil free transport such as battery electrics, fuel cells and highly efficient internal combustion engines that can operate on biofuels. Mercedes has recently been letting European journalists sample some of these new powertrains at a test facility in Spain.

The F700 concept that debuted last fall in Frankfurt is powered by a turbocharged DiesOtto engine. The DiesOtto is Mercedes’ branding for a combined HCCI and spark ignition engine that provides nearly the same efficiency as a diesel without the need for the expensive after-treatment systems. This and conventional diesel engines can run on biofuels and Mercedes hopes to launch the DiesOtto in production by 2010. Mercedes is also currently field testing electrically-driven vehicles with both batteries alone and fuel cells each of which they also plan to launch at the beginning of the decade. While it may well be that all Mercedes models in 2015 will be capable of running petroleum free, the reality is that many - if not most - will still be using fossil fuels much of the time. That may come in the form of coal for electricity, natural gas reformed into hydrogen, or petroleum fuels blended with biofuels. But you have to start somewhere.

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News comes from the Japan Post Service Co, which is the mail delivery unit of Japan Post Group, that the mail carrier plans a switch to completely electric vehicles as soon as possible. This announcement comes as record-high gasoline prices sweep the world. Major Japanese automakers have big plans regarding all-electric cars, with manufacturers such as Nissan, Subaru and Mitsubishi all readying introductions of their first models in 2010. Stocks of each of these companies soared with the news from the Post, along with battery makers which have relationships with those auto companies. Mitsubishi and its partner Yuasa appear to have benefited the most from the announcement, with shares of those companies jumping a surprisingly strong 3.7 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

In an effort to start saving money on gas right away, the Post also suggested that it will start testing hybrid vehicles, which could fill in until the fully electric vehicles and the associated necessary infrastructure are ready.

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When most people look over a Reva G-Wiz, “award-winning” isn’t usually the expression that comes to mind. However, the makers of the little electric quadricycle, the Reva Electric Car Company (RECC), are now in a position to claim such an accolade. Because of their impressive sales volume, market penetration, and high customer satisfaction in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, the 2008 Frost & Sullivan European Automotive Powertrain Company of the Year award has been bestowed upon their heretofore unadorned brow. And while it might seem ill-mannered to raise the point that they are practically the only company in their sector with a product available, it is indeed the case. That is not to understate their accomplishments though. Sales-wise, they manged to sell an average of a car a day in 2007 and with their recent upgrades, they are the first company to sell, in volume, an EV with a AC motor.

If their ambitious goals for the future come to pass, this may not be their last award. They have plans to begin construction of a ultra low energy plant that can churn out at least 30,000 vehicles by the end of this year as well as introduce a new model and variant each year. Get all the delicious details in the press release after the break.

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