2012
-
Electric vehicles are significantly quieter than their traditional gas-powered counterparts. Maybe it's fitting then, that Volvo doesn't plan to say anything when they unveil their electric C30 at the Detroit Auto Show next week. Volvo spokesman, Dan Johnston, told Inside Line that the new zero-emissions vehicle will be on display, with requisite spokesperson nearby, but the company will not hold a press conference. Johnston went on to say that the C30 isn't intended to compete with the Chevy Volt and that the market will decide what its rivals will be. (How does the Nissan Leaf sound?) Volvo...
-
Detroit Auto Show Preview: Volvo C30 Electric CarVolvo has now released more details of the all-electric C30 concept car it will launch at next week's 2010 Detroit Auto Show. We covered early details a couple of weeks ago; here's the rest of the story on the little electric hatchback with no tailpipe. The electric C30 concept car will let the...
John Voelcker -
Green Car Sales: Winners and Losers of 2009It's beginning to look as if the worst is over for U.S. auto sales. The year that just closed was, in the immortal words of Queen Elizabeth II, an annus horribilis, with only 10.4 million vehicles sold, down 21 percent on 2008 and the lowest total since 1982. But some light seems to be appearing on...
John Voelcker -
Lexus HS250h Review: Consumer Reports Finds Many FaultsThe Lexus HS250h is essentially an upscale Prius. It carries numerous components that are similar to those found in the Prius, but it does carry one additional detail not found on the Prius, the Lexus name. Lexus, a make that is synonymous with luxury, coddling the driver, and offering an...
Eric Loveday -
Toyota to Produce Camry Hybrid in ChinaDemand for hybrid vehicles has slowly been on the rise for quite some time. In particular, Toyota models have fared well holding top sales spots across the board for hybrid vehicles. Toyota sells more hybrid vehicles than all other automakers combined. The company is not about to sit back and...
Eric Loveday -
Audi Q5 Hybrid Scheduled For North American Release in 2011Audi's stance on alternative energy vehicles has changed quite often in the past few months. The company is persistent that its diesel technology is the way of the future, but has not completely written off hybrids and electrics. Though the E-tron electric vehicle will see limited production in...
Eric Loveday -
While some automakers downsized and reorganized in response to the "Great Recession" one Taiwanese brand made its worldwide debut at the Dubai International Motor Show late last month. Luxgen, an electric vehicle start-up, put four vehicles on display at the show, one of which, they called the first seven-passenger electric vehicle in the world - a claim that's hard to refute. Though the Tesla Model S will seat 7, two of those seats are designed for small children. Luxgen's other contributions to the show were a "luxury executive transportation vehicle, (Luxgen CEO), a luxury MPV (Luxgen...
-
Jay Leno Debuts New 2012 Ford Focus EV Racer, Conferees Drive Old OneAttendees excitedly swarmed around a prototype of the all-electric 2012 Ford Focus EV at an October conference held on Microsoft's Redmond campus, outside Seattle, Washington. But a newer, nice, cooler, and much flashier prototype of the 2012 Focus EV made its debut a few weeks earlier in rather...
John Voelcker -
Nissan Announces Tour Dates, Cities for 2012 Leaf Electric CarDates and cities have been announced for the "Zero Emission Tour" that will introduce the 2012 Nissan Leaf hatchback electric car to potential buyers in the U.S. markets where it will first be sold. The car won't be sold nationwide for more than two years. Instead, it will be offered where Nissan...
John Voelcker -
Preview: 2012 Volkswagen Touareg HybridOur editor Marty Padgett is spending the day with Volkswagen, driving new models, learning about advanced technologies, and quizzing executives. Here's his preview of VW's upcoming Touareg Hybrid sport utility vehicle. Volkswagen will launch a hybrid electric model of its Touareg sport utility...
John Voelcker -
Will 20,000 U.S. Buyers Order 2012 Nissan Leafs Within A Year?The 2012 Nissan Leaf hatchback, the first all-electric car from a major manufacturer to be offered in the U.S. since GM's late lamented EV1 two-seater a decade ago, won't go on sale nationally for more than two years. Nonetheless, Nissan is hoping to accumulate 20,000 U.S. advance orders for the...
John Voelcker -
We Ride In the World's Only 2012 Tesla Model S PrototypeOur 90-second ride, close to midnight, proved the Model S prototype definitely runs, it's comfortable and quiet...and it sure attracts fans
John Voelcker