2011
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GM has one of the largest wind tunnel testing facilities in the world, in fact it is the largest used for automotive applications, so it’s only fitting that the company is applying knowledge learned in its wind tunnel to a much more diverse range of vehicles than its competitors. That’s right, even mundane models like the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Cruze will benefit from reduced drag--and thus, improved fuel economy--thanks to hours of testing conducted in the wind tunnel. In this case, GM’s new compact sedan sports a special automatic air...
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2011 Lexus CT 200h Shows Hybrids Can Be Sporty TooThe 2011 Honda CR-Z was meant to be the car that showed hybrids could be sporty as well as green, but sadly, its lowly 122 horsepower and dismal 0-60 times meant it was never going to be taken seriously in performance circles. Fortunately, there’s another hybrid vehicle on the horizon that may...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2012 Think City EVs In Rental Trial At Alpine Holiday Resorts
If you're lucky enough to be traveling to the Swiss Alps this Summer for a bit of skiing and sightseeing, you might consider hiring a car to enjoy the picturesque villages and winding mountain roads at your own pace. Swiss eco-tourism specialist Alpmobil now has the perfect option for the EV lover...
Antony Ingram -
U.S. Most Likely To Lead Electric Car Growth, Report Says
International research consultancy firm McKinsey has just released the latest of its reports on electric cars, placing the U.S. ahead of other countries when it comes to electric car adoption. Taking into account nine variables likely to influence investment in the electric car sector such as...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Tomorrow's Hot-Rodders Will Take to Electric Cars, Just Watch
Headers. Cams. Pistons. Liners. Ports. Carbs. Crankshafts. Filters. Mufflers. Are these all words we'll start to see disappearing from the tuning magazines of the future? Mankind has always wanted to go faster, whether that's in a car, an aircraft, a boat or even on a horse. Tuning is an essential...
Antony Ingram -
What Comes First, The Car Or The Charger? Portland, Oregon Answers
Are electric cars being held back by a lack of convenient charging points? Or do more electric cars need to be produced in order for a demand for electric vehicle charging points to be large enough to justify installing them? And should charging stations be ones offering a 240V, 30A top-off charge...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Lightweight materials such as carbon fiber are seen by many in the auto industry as one of the most effective ways of reducing vehicle weight and thus improving fuel economy and emissions levels, but the relative expense of the materials often mean that they are still reserved for only a handful of high-end production cars. BMW has effectively used carbon fiber roofs for its M cars to help lower their center of gravity, and Nissan and General Motors have used the composite material to help save weight for their respective GT-R and ZR1 supercars. For cheaper mainstream cars, however, carbon...
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2011 Scion iQ Minicar Coming to U.S. Next March
Sales of the Smart ForTwo minicar plummeted after gasoline came back down from $4 a gallon, but Toyota's Scion brand is readying its own minicar for sale in the U.S. The latest word is that the 2011 Scion iQ will land at dealers in March. The Scion iQ was first unveiled as a concept car at the 2009...
John Voelcker -
Tesla's Elon Musk Sneers at 'Primitive' 2011 Nissan Leaf Battery
Automakers often do comparison ads showing how their features or specs are better than their competitors', but they don't generally trash other makers' designs in public. Like so many conventions, this one doesn't seem to apply to Elon Musk, CEO of venture-funded startup Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA]...
John Voelcker -
GM Communications Intern Says Cruze Team Is Passionate
The Cruze Media Tour Is Over, But The Reviews Are Still Rolling In
Jonathan McGrew -
Five Questions: Michael Deitz, 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Product Manager
Hyundai is on a roll in general, and last week we published the first 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid drive report, by our colleague Marty Padgett. This very important model is the carmaker's first-ever hybrid to be sold in the U.S., but far from the last. In 2012, Hyundai plans an upcoming dedicated...
John Voelcker -
Volt Dealer Says MSRP Plus $20K, While GM Says Shop Around
Mark Ups Aren’t New, But They Can Catch A Buyer Off Guard
Jonathan McGrew -
Patience is a virtue when it comes to ordering a 2011 Nissan Leaf--especially if you're not in one of the five markets Nissan's chosen to launch the car late this year. On April 20 of this year, I was one of those electric-car geeks scanning my email every 15 minutes, waiting for the official invite from Nissan to join the Leaf queue. Sometime that evening--after the reservations line had been jammed by interested EV-heads--I went through the online configurator and designed my own red 2011 Leaf, putting down my $99 deposit on American Express. Since then it's been a waiting game. Nissan sent...
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What Range Anxiety? Daihatsu EV Does 623 Miles On One Charge
Last October, Simon Hackett and Emilis Prelgauskas set a new distance record for a production battery-powered vehicle: a hugely impressive 313 miles in a 2008 Tesla Roadster. That's around 70 miles more than the EPA's rated range for the world's best -known EV. Unfortunately for them, not even a...
Antony Ingram -
So, Can You Drive the 2011 Nissan Leaf Cross-Country?
If you're studying the notion of going on the grid for your automotive "fuel," you're probably curious just how you'll integrate an electric car like the 2011 Nissan Leaf into your life. You think you'll be able to handle the estimated 100-mile range just fine--but what about longer trips? While...
Martin Padgett -
2012 Ford Kuga Hybrid, or Will It Be 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid?
The 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid will likely be the last year for Ford's original hybrid vehicle, launched way back in October 2004. At the end of July, Ford had sold 98,500 Escape Hybrids, more than half its total sales of 139,700 hybrids of all types. But all good things must come to an end. For 2012...
John Voelcker -
Tesla Motors Reports Wider $38.5M Loss, But Says It’s On Track
As predicted, Tesla Motors posted higher losses for the second quarter during its earnings announcement today — its first as a public company. The electric vehicle maker says it brought in $28.4 million revenue, but lost $38.5 million ($5.04 a share), up from the $29.5 million lost last quarter...
John Voelcker -
2011 Nissan Leaf: Waterboarded For Your Safety
However strongly you feel about torture testing in other situations, it's necessary when it comes to car safety. Without crash tests, cold- and hot-weather testing, and some pretty creative destruction, the cars of today would be a lot more perilous. For the 2011 Nissan Leaf electric car, the...
Martin Padgett -
Think of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and very little seems conventional about it. With a range of 40 miles per charge and a range-extending gasoline engine used to provide extra power when the battery pack is depleted, Chevrolet is keen to push the car’s green credentials. Built at the Hamtramck plant in Michigan, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt will go on sale this fall at an MSRP of $41,000 - $8,000 more than Nissan’s all-electric 2011 Leaf. So what vehicles get made alongside the 2011 Volt at GM’s flagship assembly plant? Small hatchbacks? Fuel-efficient eco-warriors? How about a 4.6 liter V8...
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2011 Nissan Leaf: Air Conditioner Infused With Vitamin C?
Nissan’s Exciting Electric Car Adds A New Twist In Japan
Jonathan McGrew -
GM Invests In Plug-In Hybrid Truckmaker Bright Automotive
General Motors announced today that it will invest in startup Bright Automotive, which hopes to start final production engineering of its Idea plug-in hybrid delivery van design later this year. GM Ventures, the automaker's venture investing arm, already provided funds to Bright this week; formal...
John Voelcker -
2011 Chevy Volt Danger: Rapacious Dealer Surcharges Could Turn Off Buyers
Last week GM announced pricing for its upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt, revealing that its range-extended electric vehicle will have a MSRP of $41,000. This came as quite a shock to many considering that the similarly advanced Nissan Leaf all-electric vehicle will have a starting MSRP of just $32,780...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The New Black Market: Buying And Selling EV Credits
It appears selling cars isn’t the only way for electric vehicle manufactures to earn a buck. Thanks to California’s Zero Emission Vehicle program, some manufacturers, such as Tesla, are earning additional cash by selling their unused pollution credits. The California Air Resources Board (CARB)...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
We Hit the Big Time: NPR's 'All Things Considered' Calls!
We are mostly humble peasants here at Green Car Reports. We just try to report on green cars fairly, with an occasional bit of acerbity tossed in for flavor. Once in a while, we post a story that hits a chord, including our discussion of why the 2011 Chevrolet Volt may not get either an EV purchase...
John Voelcker
