Hybrids

Hybrids are hot property right now, but none more so than at the very top end of the market. Ferrari's unimaginatively-named LaFerrari, the McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918 will all utilize hybrid drivetrains, but it's the Porsche set to hit the market first. So imminent is the German firm's offering...

Hybrid cars are increasing in popularity all the time in the U.S, but they still make only a small proportion of new vehicle sales, and as such some people still aren't clued-up on their benefits. Hybrids use two powertrains--in the U.S, that's generally a gasoline engine and electric motors...

The Honda NSX sports car is ingrained into Japanese car culture, but the latest model will be every bit as American as it is Japanese. Sold under the Acura brand in the U.S, Honda has now announced the new hybrid supercar will be produced at the company's Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio...

Not all hybrids are created equal. In fact, several different types are sold throughout the automotive industry, all offering varying economical benefits and priced at varying levels. Technology and innovation firm Johnson Controls Inc. suggests there's room for even more, and the next big thing in...

Early last month we reported on a couple of separate fire incidents that cast a shadow over Mitsubishi's two electric vehicles, the i-MiEV minicar and the Outlander Plug-In Hybrid. As the latest in a string of battery fire incidents from various manufacturers, it was a problem Mitsubishi wanted to...

The Toyota Prius has come a long way since hitting the market over a decade ago. Back then, at the turn of the 21st century, it was no more than a fuel efficient but ultimately unappealing curio, bought only by a select few. Fast-track to 2012 and it was one of the world's highest-selling cars...

New for 2013, the Toyota Avalon has been radically restyled to give Toyota's largest four-door sedan fresher, more aggressive lines. To our surprise, the big sedan turned heads in traffic, with a number of people turning to look at it--most likely to try to figure out what it was. But it's the gas...

Many people who frequent this website with any regularity probably own a hybrid or electric vehicle. Many of those probably think they're already driving the future--or an approximation of it at least. But just how big a part do cars of any sort play in the future of transportation? Some would have...

Range Rover isn't the first brand that comes to mind when thinking of green vehicles. Cars for traversing green and pleasant lands, perhaps, but not saving fuel as they do so. However, the company is changing. First there was the smaller, lighter Evoque, then plug-in hybrid prototypes. Next on the...

We weren't big fans of the first Sonata Hybrid when Hyundai launched it for the 2011 model year. But the 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has numerous updates and modifications that improve its driveability--the characteristic that can sink hybrids when buyers test them. We found the hybrid 2013 Sonata...

There's a new hybrid in the mix these days--or at least a new version of one that's been on the market for a couple of years. The 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid has now, finally, rolled out nationwide. It follows a troubled launch for the latest generation MKZ mid-size luxury sedan that even Lincoln...

Nissan's Leaf is one of the highest-profile electric cars on the market, but the automaker is working on other alternative-propulsion vehicles, too. According to What Car, Nissan is planning the launch of a plug-in hybrid vehicle within the next two years, and even a hydrogen fuel cell car by 2017...

We've talked about the longevity of hybrid cars on several occasions before, usually when some myth about batteries dying at ridiculously short intervals comes up. But just how much faith would you put in a high-mileage hybrid? Enough to part with your cash for an ex-NYC Ford Escape Hybrid taxi?...

There is, at the moment, only one production diesel plug-in hybrid car on sale, and it's currently only sold in Europe. That car is the Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid, combining the long-distance touring ability and economy of a diesel powertrain with the short-distance cleanliness and inexpense of...

Electric cars might have plenty of environmental benefits over their combustion cousins, carmakers are finding that angle a hard one to benefit from. In fact, it's much more likely modern electric cars will be sold on the back of plain, simple cost savings, says Bloomberg. It presents an unusual...

President Barack Obama may not achieve his goal of 1 million plug-in electric cars on U.S. roads by the end of 2015. But his administration continues to try to green the U.S. vehicle fleet. The latest salvo: The government's General Services Agency plans to add an additional 10,000 hybrid vehicles...

One or two locations appear time and time again when it comes to electric or hybrid vehicle sales. If you didn't think California was up there, then you've not been paying much attention. Oregon too--in Portland, the Nissan Leaf actually outsold other Nissan models last month. And of course Lima...

Just how popular are hybrid cars? 40 percent more in 2012 than in 2011, according to the latest study from Experian Automotive. In fact, a little more than that--40.9 percent to be precise, with overall market share increasing from 2.2 percent to 3.1 percent in a single year. It's a stark...

For Honda and Acura fans it's been far too long since the companies made something truly exciting for driving enthusiasts. That should change when the new Acura NSX supercar arrives, following its debut fanfare at the Detroit Auto Show last year. Acura hasn't yet revealed a release date for the...

Volkswagen has hinted at the direction of its future SUVs--and their powertrains--by unveiling the CrossBlue Coupe Concept at the Shanghai Auto Show. As is increasingly common these days, the CrossBlue is Coupe in spirit more than it is in construction, the five-door liftback body distinctly more...