NYPD goes green with Nissan Altima Hybrids
According to the New York Post , the New York Police Department will soon begin a pilot program that would replace 40 of the city’s police cruisers with Nissan Altima Hybrids . The initial investment in the gas-saving and pollution-reducing scheme is a hefty $1.1 million. As it stands, 18 units have been set up as fully marked patrol cars and 20 as unmarked cars. Two more are playing spy games disguised as yellow taxicabs. If these cars work out well as police units, plenty of fuel will be saved. The current fleet, which consists mainly of large, rear-wheel drive, full frame Crown Vics and slightly smaller Impalas, averages between 16 and 18 mpg in the city. The Altimas are expected to get 35 mpg. Given the shaky state of the U.S. domestic car industry, we wonder what kind of backlash there might be for using the Japanese cars, though they are assembled in Smyrna, TN. We know that police officers have proven an attachment to the old-tech cruisers that they currently use, and we’d be a little surprised if Ford isn’t at least considering outfitting its new Fusion Hybrid for crime fighting. Thanks for the tip, Mike ! [Source: New York Post | Photo: Chris McSweeney ] Auto Blog: Hybrid , MPG , Nissan , Legislation and Policy , Green Daily , USA NYPD goes green with Nissan Altima Hybrids originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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NYPD goes green with Nissan Altima Hybrids
Geneva Preview: Details on Rinspeed iChange concept filter out
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Rinspeed iChange Last month, we learned that Rinspeed would be debuting another of its crazy concept vehicles at the Geneva Motor Show , now a few more details about the Swiss-designed vehicle, along with a ton of new images, are making the rounds. Concept cars from Rinspeed are always a bit wacky, and this one doesn’t disappoint with a body that shape-shifts in order to seat the required number of occupants (up to 3) so that it’s always as aerodynamically adept as possible. Besides the real-life Transformer shell, the iChange concept features a fully electric drivetrain, including a 150-kilowatt (204 horsepower) motor that’s hooked up to a six-speed gearbox cribbed from a Subaru WRX. There are two different lithium ion battery options (one each for short-range or long-range driving) that can offer enough juice to accelerate to 60 miles per hour in about 4 seconds. Top speed is listed at 137 mph. Other eco-friendly features include a navigation system that tailors the route for fuel savings, spun wool interior and roof-mounted solar panels that help charge the batteries on sunny days. Lastly, a heater that runs on electricity for short trips and E85 liquid fuel for long trips has been fitted for climate control. See the comically long press release after the break. Gallery: Geneva Preview: Rinspeed iChance concept [Source: Rinspeed] Continue reading Geneva Preview: Details on Rinspeed iChange concept filter out Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Solar , Geneva Motor Show Geneva Preview: Details on Rinspeed iChange concept filter out originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Geneva Preview: Details on Rinspeed iChange concept filter out
Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid arriving in the U.S. this summer
Click the S400 for a high res gallery At last week’s Chicago Auto Show Mercedes-Benz quietly announced the impending arrival of its first volume production hybrid, the S400 BlueHybrid. The S400 goes on sale this summer with the new mild hybrid system co-developed by Daimler and BMW. Unlike the Two-Mode hybrid that will go into the ML450 later this year, the S400 used a 20 hp disk shaped motor, sandwiched between the engine and transmission. In typical fashion, the system provides auto-start-stop, electric assist, and regenerative braking capabilities. The entire vehicle’s electrical components are now driven off the lithium ion battery pack that is part of the system. The hybrid motor actually supplants the conventional alternator, which should make the system both more efficient and lighter, but also quieter by eliminating another belt driven component hanging off the engine block. With the 305 hp 3.5L V6 and 7-speed automatic transmission the S400 is rated at 29.8 mpg (U.S.) on the EU combined driving cycle. Official EPA numbers won’t be available until closer to the on-sale date. Gallery: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid [Source: Mercedes-Benz] Continue reading Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid arriving in the U.S. this summer Auto Blog: Hybrid , Mercedes Benz Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid arriving in the U.S. this summer originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid arriving in the U.S. this summer
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