Currently Browsing: Hybrids
Component shortage may threaten GM hybrid plan
In its viability plan submitted to the U.S. Treasury, General Motors promised to boost the number of hybrids in the company’s lineup to 26 models by 2014, up from eight today. Although there are no concerns that the technology would be ready, there could be shortage of certain parts. According...
Geneva 2009: Bentley goes flex-fuel, new powertrain in 2012
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports Bentley CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen promised an all-new more efficient powertrain for his lineup in 2012 but declined to give details. In the meantime, he acknowledged that bio-ethanol is an important stepping stone to a greener...
German agency names BMW/MINI most fuel efficient premium brands
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 MINI Cooper S Convertible The Federal Motor Transport Authority in Germany has declared BMW and MINI as the most fuel efficient premium brands available in that market. The agency has calculated fleet average fuel economy for all new cars registered in...
Renault kicks hybrids and hydrogen to the curb
While it’s sister company, Nissan , may still be chasing after hybrids and dreaming of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles ( HFCV) , reports say that Renault has had enough. It’s dropped the duo and has decided it wants to go steady with electric vehicles. Company COO Patrick Pelata has let it be...
Honda to build cellulosic ethanol research facility
One alternative fuel area where Japanese automakers have shown comparatively little interest, until recently, is biofuels. Toyota has announced plans to offer a flex-fuel version of the Tundra and Honda offers flex-fuel Civics in Brazil. Toyota also recently announced a cellulosic ethanol partnership...
Toyota Prius Touring takes home Best Value trophy from Consumer Reports
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Toyota Prius In these uncertain economic times, consumers looking to purchase anything, especially something as large and as important as an automobile, need to be sure that every dollar they spend is returning its maximum value. Great, but how do you go...
First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid
Click above for high-res gallery of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Hybrid The more things change, the more they stay the same. Once again, this time-honored dictum is proving true as pickup trucks regain their rightful place at the top of the U.S. sales charts following a precipitous fall from grace...
Nissan hopes to show off electric cars for London’s 2012 Olympic bid
Last year during the Olympic Games in Beijing, Chinese automakers (and Germany’s MINI ) took advantage of their brief opportunity on the world stage to show off some of their latest fuel efficient vehicles. Now that London has been awarded the Games of the XXX Olympiad in 2012, European automakers...
Next gen GM hybrid pickups to get 50% better towing, Voltec possible
click for a high res gallery of GM’s hybrid pickups General Motors is currently in the midst of launching its hybrid full-size pickup trucks and our man Jeremy is in San Antonio this week to try them out. One thing about the auto industry is that as soon as you get one product out the door, you’re...
Is the Saturn Vue Two-Mode hybrid DOA? Not yet
Click above to view high-res gallery of the Saturn VUE 2 Mode Hybrid We got a comment from a reader the other day on a post we published back in December indicating that the Saturn Vue 2-mode hybrid had been canceled. Our reader had placed an order for one of the new hybrid crossovers last summer but...
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