Green
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Olympic sports events leave a lasting impression on the countries they visit. Not just in terms of athletes, but in the facilities they leave behind. London's 2012 Olympic Games were no different, and several companies are attempting to find a use for the huge Olympic park specially constructed to host the games. One of those could involve electric cars--a race series, to be precise. According to businessGreen, former UK Science Minister and now race car builder Lord Drayson, has suggested the Olympic Park could be a venue for the upcoming Formula E series. Formula E is the touted electric...
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Does A123 Bankruptcy Threaten Coup De Grace For Fisker?
Fisker Automotive has had more than its share of trials and tribulations of late. Now, a new threat has emerged that holds the potential to harm the company severely, by cutting off its supply of lithium-ion battery packs. A123 Systems, its bankrupt battery supplier, wants to end the contract under...
John Voelcker -
Qoros Chinese Cars Debut Geneva 2013, Hybrids & Electrics Likely
As more and more people enter China's middle classes, demand for automobiles is increasing all the time. So is the quality of China's cars. As the kudos of imported brands becomes more attractive, Chinese companies are working hard to compete. Some are even breaking out of China and into the...
Antony Ingram -
Nissan Plans For New Hybrid, Plug-In Cars: One Per Year
Nissan might be investing heavily in its electric car program, but the automaker hasn't forgotten hybrid vehicles completely. In fact, the company is set to launch one hybrid or plug-in car per year for the next few years, allowing it to compete in a market where hybrid vehicles are gaining...
Antony Ingram -
Home Depot Now Sells 30 Electric-Car Charging Stations
If you run an electric car, you may well have considered installing a dedicated charging station in your garage or on the side of your home. After all, who wants to wait a dozen hours or more for their EV to charge using a standard 110-Volt outlet? Last year we brought you news that Home Depot...
Antony Ingram -
Diesel Hybrids: Why They Don't Make As Much Sense As You Think
Volkswagen's line of TDI diesel cars has passionate fans. Now that the company is launching the 2013 VW Jetta Hybrid, it will likely gain some hybrid advocates too. But diesel and hybrid fans are very different groups, as the company's marketing surveys show. So why couldn't Volkswagen simply add a...
John Voelcker -
After nearly a three-decade run in the United States market, Suzuki has decided to cease selling automobiles here to focus on its core markets in India and Southeast Asia. Those of us in the industry weren’t surprised by the announcement that American Suzuki Motor Corporation was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but we’ll admit to being a bit saddened by it. Suzuki, you see, built some of the best cars that consumers never knew about. Its SX4 hatchback delivered an entertaining experience behind the wheel, served up reasonable fuel economy and did this for thousands...
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Will France Lead Europe In Electric-Car Industry?
Which international carmaker currently has the largest range of electric vehicles? The answer is Renault. The French automaker has a significant EV portfolio--and as the French government puts greater emphasis on EVs, it may soon be joined by other carmakers too. Indeed, between electric cars...
Antony Ingram -
Lexus NX 300h To Be New Small Hybrid Crossover?
Lexus can claim credit for kicking off the luxury crossover market in the U.S, with the original RX. Since then, the RX models have always sold strongly--and account for 40 percent of the marque's sales. Now, it appears that a smaller model could be on the way, as Kaizen Factor reveals (via...
Antony Ingram -
BMW To Launch Six Diesel Models In Next Two Years
BMW has been building diesel cars since the 1980s, but only a handful have ever made it as far as the U.S. Those that have, such as the BMW 335d sold a few years back, have been well received--so the news that BMW is bringing six more diesel models to the U.S. over the next few years will be music...
Antony Ingram -
Sandy Flood Fire Followup: Fisker Karma Battery Not At Fault
It's becoming an awkward, unfortunate routine. Somewhere, somehow, a Fisker Karma catches fire, and the company rushes in its inspectors and engineers to analyze the incident. A few days later, Fisker Automotive issues a statement explaining that the battery of the range-extended electric car isn't...
John Voelcker -
2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid: First Drive
The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid gives VW something it hasn’t had before: a way to appeal to hybrid buyers who won’t consider its TDI diesels—no matter how fuel-efficient they may be. The result is a relatively sporty, conventional looking compact sedan that’s fun to drive...
John Voelcker -
The words 'range anxiety' probably send a shudder down the spine of most electric car owners, even if they don't suffer from the condition themselves. Describing the sense of dread associated with running low on charge, it's often brought up without considering just how many EVs are currently used. Those in cities, for instance. With limited mileage in city driving, just how much range does an electric car really need? Is 50 miles actually enough? Existing 50-mile cars Some carmakers seem to think so. Toyota, for example. The Scion iQ EV has a small, 12.5 kWh battery with a quoted range of...
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Electric Car Buyers Like, Feel Better Driving Them: UK Survey
Electric car drivers have long had a little secret: The cars are generally much nicer to drive than gasoline cars. Now a new survey done at London Metropolitan University in England shows that despite initial skepticism, drivers of the plug-in vehicles came to like them better than gasoline cars in...
John Voelcker -
Assessing Sandy: Are Electric Cars A Better Bet In Emergencies?
For many of us, lines at gas stations and homes without power are no more than news, but millions on the U.S. East Coast are still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Many areas are still without power, and gasoline is a worryingly rare commodity for a transport system utterly dependent...
Antony Ingram -
Will Toyota Prius Hybrid Change Its Shape For 2015?
Love it or loathe it, everyone can recognize the Toyota Prius. Since the second generation model arrived in the 2004 model year, the aerodynamically-honed one-box shape has always shouted "Prius". So much so that many consider Honda's Insight hybrid to deliberately feature similar styling. Only...
Antony Ingram -
Renewable Diesel Fuel Shines, Production Surges
Alternative fuels have recently suffered at the hands of the current Renewable Fuel Standard, a set of guidelines that dictate various aspects of alt fuels. Combined with droughts and political factors, the industry has had it tough recently--but renewable diesel is on track to change the...
Antony Ingram -
2013 Ford C-Max Energi Plug-In Adds To C-Max Hybrid Sales
The 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid has now reached dealerships throughout the country, selling 3,182 units in October. But Ford had an "October surprise" in store: The company sold 144 of the plug-in hybrid C-Max Energi version as well. That car hasn't been driven by any members of the automotive media...
John Voelcker -
The EPA has ordered Kia and Hyundai to amend window stickers on 13 models from the 2011, 2012 and 2013 model years after the two companies were found to be misstating the cars' true efficiency. The companies will also have to pay damages to 900,000 owners across the U.S. According to Associated Press (via our sister site, TheCarConnection), the models were red-flagged after customers found they were struggling to get anywhere near the official fuel figures on several cars. Vehicles featuring EPA sticker discrepancies include the Hyundai Accent, Azera, Elantra, Genesis, Santa Fe, Sonata...
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Hybrid And Plug-In Car Sales Slow In Michigan, Report Says
Hybrid cars have well and truly hit the mainstream. After years of slow sales around a decade ago, Toyota has now sold over 4 million hybrids. And Honda recently passed its first million. But in the home of the U.S. auto industry, buyers have been slower to catch on to the concept. According to the...
Antony Ingram -
Renault Twizy Electric Minicar On eBay: What You Need To Know
We've written about the Renault Twizy electric minicar on several occasions in the past. After driving it in Ibiza we later tested it in the UK, and while flawed, it really does have appeal for those living in tight, crowded cities. By European standards, most cities in Florida aren't too crowded...
Antony Ingram -
2013 Mercedes-Benz A Class: U.S-Bound Premium Compact Driven
Big German automakers used to thrive on producing large, luxurious sedans. Built seemingly to last forever, they were vehicles of aspiration, a cut above volume vehicles from other carmakers. How things change. Aspiration may still be a part of owning a Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi, but now gas...
Antony Ingram -
NYC's Hybrid Taxis Stay On The Road As Sandy Gas Shortages Hit
As the U.S. East coast copes with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and New York City breathes life back into its flooded 105-year old subway system, public transit is currently in short supply. News images of huge queues for gas, people queuing around the block for buses and tens of thousands...
Antony Ingram -
October Plug-In Electric Car Sales: Volt, Leaf Stay Strong
The good news for plug-in electric car sales just keeps on keeping on. In October, Chevy sold 2,961 Volts--the highest-ever single-month total--and Nissan continued a recent resurgence, selling 1,579 Leafs. Those numbers compare with 2,851 Volts sold in September and 984 Leafs the same month. That...
John Voelcker