2010
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Last Thursday was the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and the CEO of one electric-car maker took the occasion to speak out on some of the popular myths around the manufacturing and use of electric vehicles. Richard Canny, who runs the recently refinanced Think, published a list of "top 10 EV myths busted" to provide some rational counterpoints to a series of assertions about EVs. Some of the concerns are based in reality; others are simply ignorant. NOTE: We did a little streamlining and copy editing. Here's the first half of Canny's list, along with our comments on Think's rebuttal to each...
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New Entry Level Hyundai Verna To Replace Accent For U.S.
Hyundai Announce New Successor At 2010 Beijing Auto Show
Jonathan McGrew -
2010 Tesla Roadster's Price is Right--But Not For One Player
You've seen it all--Alpine hikers plummeting to their deaths, women losing tube tops and falling down spinning the big wheel, people losing their "stuff" when they bid exactly right on a Showcase Showdown. But have you ever seen one winner walk away with more than $112,000 on The Price is Right?...
Martin Padgett -
2010 Volkswagen Sportwagen TDI: Even Impatience Is Rewarded
You're likely to quite easily meet or exceed the EPA's fuel economy ratings for the Jetta TDI in real-world driving.
Bengt Halvorson -
Volkswagen Shows Concept For All-Electric Milano Taxi
It must be something taxi-ish in the air. Last week, London got its first all-electric black cab to test (with rear wheels that steer, to boot), and now today Volkswagen has unveiled its own concept for an electrically powered taxi. The Volkswagen Milano Taxi concept is a compact minivan with many...
John Voelcker -
BMW's New Hydrogen Hybrid Mini: Hydrogen, Huh? Oh, REALLY?
Perhaps we're a little cranky this morning, still being on Greenwich Mean Time while the clock says Eastern Daylight. Or maybe we're just cynical. But could everyone please take a deep breath and consider reality before getting all hot and bothered over news that BMW seems to be working on a...
John Voelcker -
The Rocky Mountain Auto Press Selects Cars In Four Separate Categories
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Smaller-More-Efficient-Engine Example: 2010 Buick LaCrosse
Sure, hybrids and electric cars are great, but they sell in small numbers. The way most cars will meet newer, more aggressive fuel-economy rules is by making engines smaller and more efficient. Case in point: the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, a midsize sedan now offered with a 2.4-liter direct-injected...
John Voelcker -
2010 Denver Auto Show Opens With Long Line For Tickets
The Weather Was Good and the People Were Eager
Jonathan McGrew -
Green Car Megadeal: Renault-Nissan-Daimler Could Save Smart
This morning's deal bringing Daimler AG into the Renault-Nissan alliance has lots of interesting details--but first and foremost, it could be what Smart needs to survive in the long term. Today in Brussels, the CEOs of the companies involved--Renault-Nissan's Carlos Ghosn and Daimler AG's Dieter...
Martin Padgett -
Could the Mazda Miata See a Boost In Mileage For 2011?
New York Auto Show Hints At Things To Come
Jonathan McGrew -
Forecast For The Future of Small Plug-In Car Companies: Bleak
Last month was was a pretty great one for mainstream automakers planning to deliver plug-in vehicles. Publicity a-plenty, state and Federal grants announced, pricing revealed. The message from Detroit and Japan is clear: If you like it then you shoulda put a plug on it ... But with so many of the...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Green Grass, Green Trees and Green Cars Surrounded the Colorado Capital
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Ramp Up To 2010 Denver Auto Show: Green Car Convoy
Manufactures and Dealers Come Together To Show the Best of Green Cars
Jonathan McGrew -
2010 New York Auto Show: Mazda To Launch Diesel Mazda6 in 2012
Yesterday's Mazda press conference mostly focused on its 2011 Mazda2 subcompact, but the company also dropped a bombshell. Starting in 2012, it will sell a clean diesel version of its Mazda6 midsize sedan in the U.S. And it expects the car to return 43 miles per gallon on the EPA highway cycle. The...
John Voelcker -
Mercedes-Benz Decides All U.S. S-Class Cars To Be Hybrids
While our colleague Nelson Ireson was driving the (very un-green) 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in Mexico this week, he heard an interesting item that's much more along our lines. It is: Mercedes-Benz plans to sell only hybrid models of the S-Class in the U.S. when the next generation car arrives...
John Voelcker -
Volvo Finds New Home With China’s Geely Auto Group
Ford Finally Agrees To Sell the Swedish Car Brand
Jonathan McGrew -
2010 Smart ForTwo: Seasoned City Runabout Or Scary Toy-like Go Kart?
We Take Another Look At the Most Recent Smart Car
Jonathan McGrew -
Consumer Reports Ranks Both Civic and Elantra as Best Bets
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DoE Says No, Denies Secretive Startup V-Vehicle Loan Request
Looks like secretive startup V-Vehicle Co. won't be joining Ford, Nissan, Tesla, and Fisker in getting government guarantees for low-interest loans to invest in advanced vehicle technology. Yesterday the U.S. Department of Energy turned down a $321.1 million loan application by V-Vehicle (VVC)...
John Voelcker -
Carbon Cop Cars To Go Green With BMW Clean Diesel Engines
Many European countries use BMW sedans as patrol and pursuit cars. Now, BMW says it will sell more than 240,000 engines to U.S. police-car startup Carbon Motors for that company's cruiser. The big shock? They're diesel engines. Specifically, BMW's 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six clean diesel, as...
John Voelcker -
Chrysler Kills Ram Two-Mode Hybrid Pickup Truck After All
The big green car news from Chrysler yesterday was its announcement that it would build an electric version of the Fiat 500 mini-car for the U.S. market. Win one, lose one, perhaps. The company also dropped a death notice: It has ended development of its Ram Two-Mode Hybrid pickup truck, scheduled...
John Voelcker -
Mazda Muses on Bringing Zoom-Zoom to Clean Diesels
Mazda's always had cool technology. They're the only carmaker that's steadily developed the compact, high-output Wankel rotary engine, for instance. And they're known for powerful, high-revving piston engines and slick-shifting gearboxes. Then there's the green side of the brand, which already...
John Voelcker -
Consumer Reports Recommends Best 2010 Cars Under $20K
Who Is On the List Might Surprise You
Jonathan McGrew