Hybrid Car

Reports are coming in that Subaru will be debuting its first hybrid vehicle by 2013. Subaru first teased a hybrid vehicle almost six years ago. The automaker feels the fuel economy offered by its present models can weather any moderate increases in gas prices, but according to Tom Doll, ...    Read more

In a recent interview with Automotive News, Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne indicated the company will “offer a hybrid variant of the 300 equipped with an eight-speed automatic in 2013.” Little else is known about the vehicle, other than it will likely use Chrysler’s new ZF-licensed eight-speed transmission, which has ...    Read more

Across the pond (that's the Atlantic Ocean to us Yanks), journalist Brian Milligan’s drive from London to Edinburgh, a journey of roughly 484 miles. However, he drove in a MINI E which, with a range of only 100 miles on a single charge and needs roughly ten hours to recharge, ...    Read more

In December, Honda announced it was ramping up development of EVs and was looking to launch test programs around the world, including a new development in Japan. The automaker will commence testing of a charging infrastructure, along with an array of EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles — in Japan’s Kumamoto ...    Read more

Since the introduction of the 2001 Prius, Toyota has delivered over 2 million Prius models worldwide. With each unit containing roughly 2.2 pounds of neodymium. The rare earth is sourced from China, which currently controls nearly 90 percent of the world’s supply of the two rare-earth minerals, and has recently ...    Read more

General Motors has caught the hybrid fever as it reveals plans to implement the Chevy Volt's range extending technology across its product lineup. At the Automotive News World Conference in Detroit, General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Ackerson revealed to the Detroit Free Press that the company is ...    Read more

While the Detroit Auto show doesn't rival last year's "green"-themed show in Los Angeles in sheer number of debuts and the like, both shows, as well as last week's Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas, support the theme that technology will be joining car design and powertrains in shaping car-buyers' ...    Read more

The autosphere is abuzzed with news that Toyota wants its hybrids to become its best-selling nameplate in the U.S. by 2020. “We will end the decade with the Prius being the number one nameplate in the industry,” Bob Carter, Toyota’s group vice president for U.S. sales, told analysts in a ...    Read more

Hyundai’s 2011 Sonata Hybrid goes on sale later this month at a starting price of $26,545 including destination. Recently, Wayne Gerdes, the professional driver who invented the term hypermiling, just drove Hyundai's first Hybrid across the country on two tanks of gas, averaging 60 mpg. “As a fan of ...    Read more

General Motors recently released a video explaining the unique MPG ratings given to its Chevy volt by the EPA. Initially the Volt has a fully charged battery, giving it a range between 25 and 50 miles depending on how the car is driven. This all-electric range is officially estimated ...    Read more

The engine start-stop feature, found in most hybrid vehicles, turns off the car's engine at stop lights, signs, then restarts it almost instantly once the accelerator is pushed. Ford has announced that its auto start-stop feature is about to be rolled out on non-hybrid cars, crossovers, and SUVs in ...    Read more

Hyundai has announced pricing on its Sonata hybrid sedan. The 2.4-liter inline-four finds itself matched with an electric traction motor and power is sent through a six-speed automatic transmission. Combined output is 206 horsepower and 193 pound-feet of torque, and an all-electric drive speed of up to 62 mph is ...    Read more

Electric vehicles produce no audible sound, and many hybrids can operate with virtually no noise at low speeds. While blind pedestrians rely on audible indicators of traffic patterns, those of us who see also use sound to navigate. The implementation of sound on electric and hybrid vehicles will help pedestrians ...    Read more

Mercedes-Benz delivered its first F-Cell hydrogen-powered B-Class vehicle earlier this month. "I'm thrilled to be driving a vehicle that I believe represents the future of environmentally thoughtful transportation," Vance Van Petten, executive director of the Producers Guild of America, said. "Not only does it have zero emissions, but it also ...    Read more

The autosphere is abuzzed with news that General Motors is planning to build a plug-in hybrid vehicle in the near future for its Cadillac luxury lineup. Previously, Cadillac had mulled building a production version of the Converj concept, a sleek, Cadillac show coupe based on the Chevrolet Volt. Now sources ...    Read more

Think, a Scandinavian EV firm, has been in the business since the 1990s and recently invested a great deal of capital to establish a production site in Elkhart County, Indiana. Well, the first Think City electric vehicles built in the United States have been sold and delivered. The City car ...    Read more

At this year's LA Auto Show, Honda unveiled its Fit EV. The automaker recently announced it is launching an electric vehicle demonstration program in conjunction with the city of Torrance, California, Google, and Stanford University. "The goal of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program is to more fully understand the ...    Read more

Earlier last week, the first shipment of 300-plus Volts were put on transport trucks and sent to the initial launch markets of California, New York, Texas, and Washington D.C. Well, one owner has picked up his Volt already. Jeffrey Kaffee, a retired airline pilot from New Jersey, is going down ...    Read more

Recently, Mitsubishi spokesman suggested each future Mitsu model will be developed with an electric or plug-in hybrid variant in mind. "Every new car we develop will also be able to be driven by electricity," (translated) Helmut Bauer, Mitsubishi's German spokesman, told Automobilwoche. Details at this point have been ...    Read more

Toyota has released pricing details on its latest luxury hybrid, the Lexus CT 200 compact hatchback. The entry-level hybrid carries a starting price of $29,995. That includes a keyless entry system, Bluetooth, 17-inch alloy wheels, USB/iPod connectivity, a six-speaker sound system, and three driving modes (Normal, Sport, and Eco). If ...    Read more

General Motors has announced that it is shipping its Chevrolet Volts to dealers and their eager customers. The Volt will first head to California, Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington D.C. with a base price of $41,000 before starting its nationwide sweep. The green havens of California ...    Read more

And the EV revolution "officially" begins, at least for consumers. Nissan has announced it has sold its first LEAF to the public. The car was purchased by Olivier Chalouhi in the San Francisco Bay area. Why San Francisco for the first sale?"San Francisco is committed to make the Bay Area ...    Read more

The Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid starts from $68,675, including a $975 destination charge, and combines a supercharged 3.0-liter Audi V-6 with an electric drive motor for a combined output of 380 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque. With an eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission, the hybrid SUV is rated to hit ...    Read more

Chevrolet's current plan is to build 10,000 of its Volt EV in 2011 and 45,000 in 2012. Well, now parent General Motors is looking for ways to produce over 900,000 units annual. The reason is demand. About 240,000 people have expressed interest in the vehicle, according to ...    Read more

The annual Design Miami show has been an important place for Audi to showcase its newest new ideas. The automaker recently unveiled its e-den concept that may be an insight into what the filling stations of tomorrow could be like. The e-den's exterior is reminiscent of 1950s architecture with chrome ...    Read more