2011

Continuing the trend of raising gas mileage by using smaller, more powerful engines, Ford is set to launch its first four-cylinder EcoBoost engine in the 2011 Ford Edge, which will be unveiled at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show next week. We've written before about Ford's EcoBoost system, which uses...

Whenever we're asked whether electric-car startup Tesla Motors will make it, we respond with our own question: What's the last carmaker started from scratch in the U.S. by entrepreneurs that's still with us, and when did it launch? The answer is Chrysler, and the year was 1924. In other words...

According to a report from Wired's Autopia site, the Tesla Roadster that we are familiar with will come to the end of its production run in 2011.  A new version of the Roadster will appear in 2013. Autopia came across the information while perusing through the filings made by Tesla with the...

The Nissan Leaf Gets Another Infusion Of Money

"Born From Jets" may be the slogan of recently-saved-from-death Swedish Saab, but one day it may prove more appropriate for British carmaker Jaguar. The company has been awarded funding from the U.K. government to develop a small jet turbine as a range extender for a future hybrid luxury car. Its...

Speakers throughout today's Electric Drive Transportation Association conference agree: Plug-in electric cars that use little or no gasoline are coming. It's no longer an "if", it's now a "when." To help boost early adoption of cars that run mostly or entirely on grid power, the Federal government...

In 2009, the plug-in vehicle market gained unprecedented federal support. In addition to President Obama's proclamation of 1,000,000 plug-in cars by 2015, several newcomer companies, including Tesla, Fisker, A123, and Johnson Controls-Saft, received multimillion dollar grants and/or loans to...

General Motors will become the first U.S. automaker to design and build its own electric motors for hybrid and electric cars, the company said today. While Toyota and Honda have long made their own motors, until now GM--along with Ford--has purchased them from third-party suppliers. GM views the...

A few days back we posted a story about Honda and their decision to bring a hybrid model to the Acura lineup of vehicles.  The release of information about an Acura hybrid came directly from Honda CEO Takanobu Ito as he spoke at the NAIAS.  At the time, it was unclear as to what Acura product...

The Honda CR-Z Hybrid shown in the picture may beat the Prius in terms of performance when it comes to market later this year, but it falls well short of the Prius in terms of fuel efficiency.  The Prius can return a whopping 50 mpg in everyday driving while Honda only expects the CR-Z to return...

BMW is expected to unveil its third hybrid model at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show this March. It will be a mild-hybrid version of the all-new 2011 BMW 5-Series sedan line it has just unveiled, which will go on sale in June. The ActiveHybrid 5 will follow in the footsteps of the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid...

You heard it here first, folks. Maria Rohrer, the Chevrolet Volt marketing manager responsible for the remarkably awful "Volt Dance" at last month's Los Angeles Auto Show, has been reassigned. An internal General Motors memo last week said Rohrer would become director of Chevrolet truck...

With the 2010 Detroit Auto Show behind us, we're fast coming up on the Chicago Auto Show, which starts February 10.  Now we've gotten our first teaser image, for the Kia Ray concept car that will be unveiled in the spacious precincts of McCormack Hall. Kia says the Ray is meant to demonstrate how...

AC Propulsion, source of the technologies and/or components and systems for the Tesla Roadster and Mini-e, has now partnered with AutoPort, Inc. to develop an electric vehicle for a US Postal Service (USPS) feasibility study.  Among many capabilities, AutoPort specializes in fleet conversions, so...

We've always been fond of the 2010 Mazda Mazda5 small minivan, which gets rave reviews for its sporty character and good roadholding. Because it's smaller than more conventional full-size minivans like the Dodge Caravan, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna, it has always sold in smaller numbers. But...

UPDATE: Well, it sounded too good to be true, and perhaps it was. We asked GM spokesman Dave Darovitz for comments on CEO Whitacre's "low-thirties" price for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. Darovitz tells GreenCarReports.com that while Chevy "has not officially announced final Volt pricing, a price in the...

Several automakers believe that fuel cell powered vehicles will become a viable solution for mass production in the distant future.  In particular, Honda and General Motors have both displayed progress in development and real world testing of fuel cell powered vehicles.  Toyota has also...

We somehow omitted one hybrid concept until now in our 2010 Detroit Auto Show coverage; it's the Hyundai Blue-Will four-door sports sedan, which is unusual in both name and looks. Some loved it, some loathed it, but we're as interested in its plug-in hybrid powertrain as in the rather nervous...

Last weekend, we finally got the chance to drive the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. By and large, we liked it; see our full First Drive report for more details. Riding shotgun was Andrew Farah, the chief engineer for the 2011 Volt. During our ride and after, we asked him five questions--just as we did Volt...

Tesla Motors will be showcasing a major milestone in their production history at the North American International Auto Show.  Tesla Roadster VIN 1,000 will be making it's debut at Cobo Hall, signifying Tesla Motors' impressive feat of producing / selling 1,000 highway capable electric vehicles...