Driving
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Six years ago, we wrote that a number of single-motor hybrid systems were about to enter the market. They represented a new approach to a technology pioneered in 1997, when the first-generation Toyota Prius was launched in Japan. Through 2010, all the full-hybrid vehicles introduced by Ford and General Motors used systems designed around a pair of motor-generators. DON'T MISS: Brewing Hybrid Battle: Is One Electric Motor Better Than Two? (Aug 2011) Since then, numerous hybrid vehicles using single-motor systems have come onto the market from BMW, Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes, Nissan, and VW Group...
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What IS 'one-pedal driving' in an electric car?
One-pedal driving is rather like the experience of owning an electric car: it can be hard to appreciate until you've spend time doing it. The phrase "one-pedal driving" refers to the ability of some electric cars to be driven almost entirely with the accelerator pedal alone. It's a feature much...
John Voelcker -
Haptic-Feedback Gas Pedal Tells Drivers When To Shift To Save Fuel
Bosch claims its "active gas pedal" can yield fuel-economy savings of up to seven percent.
Stephen Edelstein -
Americans Are Driving Less, And Have Been Since 2005
There's a far more effective way of reducing pollution and dependency on oil than buying more efficient cars or going electric: Driving less. It's not an option available to everyone of course, but it certainly helps reduce fuel use. And it's something Americans have been doing in a steady trend...
Antony Ingram -
Nissan Leaf Joins Drivers’ Ed, Passes No-Gas Student
Do you remember learning to drive? The chances are, like us, you learned to drive in a gasoline car, even if you drive an electric car today. Last month however, Norwegian Solveig Marie Ødegård became the first person in the world to learn to drive and pass her test in an all-electric...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Chevy Engineers, 2012 Cruze LT, Demonstrate Fuel-Smart Driving
These days, we’re pretty sure that most car drivers know that the EPA-approved gas mileage ratings you see displayed on every new car at the dealer are for guidance only. In short, your mileage may (and probably will) vary from the EPA ratings, but by how much? And what effect does poor...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
We get a lot of questions about greener or more fuel-efficient cars. But we rarely get questions about how to drive less. A cheerful little post and infographic by the delightfully named Mr. Money Mustache highlights the true cost of commuting to jobs that are no longer within walking or biking distance, as they were for many Americans until 1940 or so. Neatly summarized on LifeHacker, each extra mile you have to drive to work costs you $795 a year. That's using a driving cost of 34 cents per mile (the IRS actually allows you 51 cents) and a value of $25 an hour for the time you spend behind...
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Five Ways to Increase Your Electric Car’s Range Overnight
If you’re an electric car owner who finds that the range you can get from a full charge isn’t anywhere near the distance the dealer claimed, you’re not alone. Rushing to work, carrying excess weight, poor maintenance, inadequate planning and even drive distractions while driving...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
How To Drive Badly & Lower Your Gas Mileage In The Real World
With gas-mileage standards through 2016 now in place, the EPA and NHTSA are turning their sights toward rules for 2017 through 2025. Proposals are floating around for CAFE standards of up to 62 mpg (which means the vehicles you might buy would average about 50 mpg in actual use). Ah, the hell with...
John Voelcker -
Always Stay In The Bike Lane, Even When You Can't: Video
Cops ticket a Manhattan bicyclist, but #fail to do the same for all the hurdles he captures in a YouTube viral video.
Kurt Ernst -
Could Higher Gas Prices Help Obese Americans Lose Weight?
With gas prices above $4 a gallon (at least this week), we've entered a familiar cycle. Man-on-the-street interviews feature wailing and moaning about how politicians "should do something" about gas prices. Drivers start to combine their trips, and make sure to use their most fuel-efficient...
John Voelcker -
7 Ways To Save Gas And Go Green With The Cars You Own Today
Sure, it'd be nice to have a brand-new, more fuel-efficient vehicle. But not everyone is able to buy one of the growing number of new cars with at least 40 mpg highway mileage. So here are our tips for getting better mileage out of whatever vehicles are in your driveway right now, today, from...
John Voelcker -
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 General Motors is making much about its 2011 Chevrolet Volt's range extender--which it believes means never having to say "I'm sorry I can't make it"--Nissan's taking exactly the opposite tack, explaining to customers they'll need to match the Leaf to their daily driving needs. And when it comes to...
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Are Public Charging Stations Really Needed for EV Deployment?
There's been a lot of discussion and consideration given to the topic of public charging stations for electric vehicles. The old "chicken verses egg" conundrum is called to mind as auto makers and politicians seem to fumble around without really knowing what to do and where to allocate funds. Will...
Tom Moloughney -
What Will The True Residual Value of a Used EV Be? Toyota May Provide the Answer.
If you're lucky you may already be on a waiting list for the 2011 Nissan Leaf. Or perhaps you've decided to get the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. If your next car is electric it could easily immunize you from fluctuating gas prices and ensure low running costs. But what will that shiny new electric car be...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Saturday Selection: Stuff Sort-of-Relevant To Green Cars
We read a lot of stuff here to cover the world of green cars. No surprise there. But there's a lot we see that doesn't lend itself to a full article, though we hate to let it pass by altogether. So this is a new type of piece, one that brings together stuff that's sort-of-relevant to green cars...
John Voelcker -
Electric Vehicle Range, In the Real World: What You Need to Know
At the moment, drivers of cars from the 2011 Mitsubishi i-MiEV to the 2010 Mini E are struggling to achieve the official mileage-range figures. So far, only Tesla's 2010 Roadster seems to be able to deliver on its range promises, and that's just when driven conservatively. Why are we hearing so...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2010 Toyota Prius Sales Up 50 Percent Over Last April
Toyota Motor Sales announced yesterday that its U.S. sales of new cars were up 24.4 percent over the previous April, during the worst of the economic meltdown. Despite recent months--during which a lawsuits have rained down on Toyota for unintended acceleration and brake related safety concerns...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Do you know when to accelerate your Prius "as though there's an eggshell between your foot and the pedal," and when to move away briskly? If you do, you may already be an experienced Prius driver. If not, we have just the video for you. In less than four minutes, our editor goes through some of the basics of driving a hybrid vehicle. That's actually a 2008 Toyota Prius being used in some of the footage. The video comes from our colleagues at About.com, who recently asked High Gear Media to do a set of videos that would educate their users on the basics of hybrid cars. We felt the driving tips...
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Ditch Your (Electric) Car in the Best Bike Towns In America
Sometimes, a car--even an electric car like the 2011 Nissan Leaf--isn't the best way to transport yourself on errands or to work. Bicycling's one of the greenest alternatives to gas-powered travel, and when it comes to biking-friendly commutes, a handful of cities have a huge advantage over others...
Martin Padgett -
Nissan Ups Ante With U.K. Factory For 2011 Leaf Electric Car
Nissan has upped the ante on its bid to become the world's leading electric-car maker, by announcing a third global factory for production of their 2011 Leaf electric car. The small northern U.K. city of Sunderland will become the third site across three continents to be tooled up to build the...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Prius Driver Charged With Evading The Scene Of An Accident
Less than a week ago, we told you that hybrid drivers are more likely to get into accidents than non-hybrid drivers. Today, one Connecticut woman has become a mildly amusing example of this puzzling statistic. State police have identified the driver of a Toyota Prius who ran into a utility pole in...
Robert Scardino -
Driving Green Becomes a Game, Now On Your iPhone
Even if you're not in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, you too can grow green leaves on your dash display when you save fuel by driving with a light foot. Except in this case, the leaves appear on your iPhone 3G or 3G S, courtesy of Bliss Trek. It's the first eco-driving app for Apple's cult favorite...
John Voelcker -
California HOV-Lane Stickers For Hybrids: Worth $1,200 To $1,500
Imagine a special sticker that let you use those high-occupancy vehicle lanes, zipping past stop-and-go rush hour traffic, blissfully alone in your car. If you live in California and were one of 85,000 lucky hybrid owners, you know exactly what I'm talking about. In 2005, California decided to open...
John Voelcker