Electric motor

  • 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Nurburgring

    Last week, Karl-Friedrich Stracke, GM's vice president of global vehicle engineering, set to rest rumors of a mid-engine next-generation Chevrolet Corvette. That got a lot of attention among Corvette fans. But a footnote to the story was that Stracke said not only that a hybrid Corvette was possible, but that such a powertrain would be "an interesting idea." He noted that Porsche has announced it will add hybrids across its lineup, to meet new fuel efficiency regulations. Hypothetically, Stracke said, a carmaker might offer a very small number of standard powertrains in its sports car lines...

  • 2012 Infiniti M35h hybrid sedan
    2012 Infiniti M35h, Its First Hybrid, Previews at Pebble Beach

    Almost a year ago, Infiniti confirmed a hybrid version of its new M sedan, to be launched at the end of 2010. Now, the company has unveiled that car, in the tony surroundings of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the premier U.S. showcase for classic cars. Infiniti has adopted the Lexus...

  • GM EV1
    GM To Build All-Electric Cars Again: A Very Few, Just For Tests

    The big news in green cars today will be the noon release of pricing and ordering information for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, GM's upcoming range-extended compact electric car. But GM had more noteworthy news today, all the way from the other side of the world. General Motors, the company pilloried...

  • 2012 Ford Focus
    Report: All-Wheel Drive Hybrid Hard Hitter To Join Ford Focus Lineup

    Hot hatches. The Europeans love them, we--as a whole--apparently hate them, and consequently miss out on some amazing cars that our cousins across the Atlantic have been enjoying for years. But that’s all about to change thanks to stylish newcomers like the 2011 Ford Fiesta and upcoming 2012...

  • Mercedes-Benz Vito taxi from Eco City Vehicles PLC
    New London Taxi Steers From the Rear, Now Going Electric Too

    We happened to be in London earlier this week, where it's hard to avoid the sight of the ubiquitous "London Taxi," a distinctive vehicle purpose-built to meet a specific set of regulations involving tiny turning circles, top-hat headroom, and other arcana. That hasn't stopped a consortium of...

  • 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric, introduced at 2010 Chicago Auto Show
    2010 Chicago Auto Show: Electric 2011 Ford Transit Connect, Alt-Fuel Taxi

    It's long been known that Ford's first electric car would actually be a truck. Now, we have all the details of the 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric, an all-electric conversion of the Transit Connect commercial van that offers a range of up to 80 miles on a full charge. The 2011 Transit Connect...

  • 2010 Honda Insight - front three-quarter

    Before either car launched, the 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Honda Insight were viewed as natural rivals. Would the third generation of Toyota's definitive hybrid be threatened by Honda's "least expensive hybrid", which too offered five doors and good gas mileage? What a difference a year makes. Prius romps, Insight craters The 2010 Prius was a smash hit. Its global sales success strained Toyota and caused shortages of nickel-metal-hydride battery packs. Of 270,000 sales to date, about 140,000 came from the United States. Its nemesis proved to be not Honda, but high-tech braking software. The...

  • Green BMW sports car based on Vision EfficientDynamics Concept rendering
    Striking BMW EfficientDynamics Hybrid Concept Will Be Built

    The striking BMW Vision EfficientDynamics hybrid concept was unquestionably the star concept of September's Frankfurt Motor Show. It proved, once again, that when German carmakers turn their minds toward a new goal--in this case, a sports car with breathtaking fuel efficiency--they can produce...

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