Hybrids
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The 2012 Paris Auto Show is currently underway, but with press days now done and dusted, it's time to take a look at the green vehicles which made the headlines. Between concepts and production vehicles, several manufacturers offered something fuel efficient--and many previewed vehicles that didn't use fossil fuels at all. Below you'll find our review of the most important production cars of the show, and on page 2 you can read about some of the concepts which wowed the Parisian halls. Click on any of the model names to be taken to a full guide or photo gallery. Production cars 2014 Ford...
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Infiniti Emerg-E Plug-In Hybrid Supercar Won't Be Built, Company SaysInfiniti is clearly proud of its Emerg-E plug-in hybrid supercar, wheeling it out at several auto shows and even driving it up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Sadly though, for anyone hoping the concept would eventually be produced, Infiniti has confirmed it has no plans to make a...
Antony Ingram -
2013 Honda CR-Z: Paris Auto Show Live PhotosHonda's updated CR-Z hybrid hatchback may not have been one of the stars of the Paris Auto Show, but with a power boost and some styling tweaks it's welcome all the same. With a boost in power from 122 to 135 horspower, the new model knocks over half a second from the old car's 0-62 mph time, now...
Antony Ingram -
Lexus LF-CC Concept: Paris Auto Show Live PhotosLexus revealed its LF-CC hybrid coupe concept shortly before the 2012 Paris Auto Show, and now we can bring you a live image gallery from the show itself. The dramatic-looking coupe is the boldest expression of the marque's 'L-finesse' design language and one of the most distinctive cars of the...
Antony Ingram -
2013 Honda CR-Z Hybrid Gets Better Acceleration, Boost ModeThe Honda CR-Z mild-hybrid sports coupe will get some evolutionary, not revolutionary, changes for the 2013 model year, the automaker has announced at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. From a distance, the 2013 CR-Z looks very similar to the 2012 model, but on closer inspection the redesigned fascia...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Audi Crosslane Coupe Concept Heralds New Q2 CrossoverAudi is previewing the future of the compact crossover with a Paris Auto Show concept it calls the Crosslane Coupe. The Crosslane Coupe features lightweight construction and a fuel-saving, dual-mode hybrid drivetrain, which could potentially make it into the production version, reportedly called...
Kurt Ernst -
If you’re a car buyer in the U.S. looking for a high gas-mileage car, the chances are you’re going to choose a hybrid car for your next vehicle. In Europe, however, hybrid cars are generally shunned by car buyers in preference of high gas-mileage diesel cars. But why do U.S. car buyers prefer hybrids when Europeans love oil-burning diesels? In a recent post for The Detroit News, Neil Winton suggests that cost is the primary factor. Europeans, he proposes, are more cost-conscious than their American counterparts. Winton’s argument, however, is missing the subtleties of some...
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2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Very Short First DriveMemo to carmakers: Midtown Manhattan on a weekday can be a challenging, frustrating place to hold a test drive. Two days ago, we drove the new 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid at a Ford media event, one of a handful across the country to show off its redesigned mid-size sedan. The 2013 Fusion will be...
John Voelcker -
Nissan's Taxi Of Tomorrow Could Kill Off NYC's Hybrid TaxisJust as London has its iconic black cabs, New York would be a distinctly different place without thousands of Ford Crown Victorias cruising its streets, in their distinctive yellow livery. Even so, the past decade has seen vehicles like the Ford Escape Hybrid becoming a popular yellow cab...
Antony Ingram -
Thinking Of Buying A Hybrid? Don't Expect Big DiscountsWith gasoline at or above $4 a gallon in some states, buyers' thoughts are turning toward fuel economy. If you're one of those buyers, and you're thinking about looking at hybrid cars, prepare yourself: You're not likely to get big discounts if you buy one. New data from CarWoo, a site that lets...
John Voelcker -
Audi A1 e-Tron Plug-In Hybrid Lives Once More, Sans RotaryRemember the Audi A1 e-tron? Audi canned it earlier this year, citing its lack of viability as a production model. Well, it's back, only this time shorn of its unusual Wankel rotary engine sitting under the trunk floor. Instead, the latest version of the concept uses a more conventional--though...
Antony Ingram -
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Gets EPA-Approved 47MPG All-RoundAfter taking part in a rather unusual fuel-economy test for its non-hybrid 2013 Fusion EcoBoost, Ford has announced its 2013 Fusion Hybrid has just been awarded its official gas mileage ratings by the EPA. Just like the 2013 C-Max Hybrid, the 2013 Fusion Hybrid has been rated at 47 mpg highway, 47...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Hybrids have been popular gas-sipping choices for several years, but it's taken until this year for momentum to really gather behind plug-in hybrids. Using mostly familiar hybrid technology, but with larger batteries that can be charged separately as well as during driving, many consider plug-in hybrids the ideal middle step between hybrid vehicles and full battery electric cars. With some already on sale and others due in the next year, we've compiled a guide on all the plug-in hybrids--and range-extended electric vehicles--you need to know about. And happily for drivers in California, all...
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Lexus LF-CC Hybrid Coupe Concept: Paris Auto Show PreviewLexus has unveiled its first images of a new hybrid coupe concept, set to be unveiled at the impending 2012 Paris Auto Show. Called the Lexus LF-CC, the concept is the latest in a line of conceptual vehicles shown by the brand at recent auto shows, many of which have used hybrid and electric...
Antony Ingram -
Ford Cuts Rare-Earth Metal Use In Hybrid Batteries, But ...With plug-in cars now on the market, rare-earth metals are a hot commodity. They're needed in one type of electric motor and various electronic components, and volume projections for hybrid and electric cars mean that increasingly larger quantities will be required. China has largely cornered the...
John Voelcker -
2013 Honda CR-Z Hybrid Updates: Paris Auto Show PreviewToday seems to be the day when Paris Motor Show previews are coming thick and fast. Honda announced today that it will show an updated 2013 CR-Z two-seat hybrid hatchback at the Paris event, where media announcements kick off two weeks from yesterday. The 2013 Honda CR-Z has mildly refreshed...
John Voelcker -
2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In: Strong Sales, Owners HappyThe 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In hybrid has got off to a good start in its first six months on sale, with over 6,000 units sold so far. That, says Toyota, is more than the first six months of Chevrolet Volt sales, at 2,745 units, and Nissan Leaf sales, which managed 3,875 cars in its first month...
Antony Ingram -
2013 Honda Insight: The Forgotten Hybrid?Some lead, others follow. And with poor sales and Toyota's Prius C now on the market as a head-to-head rival, the Honda Insight can definitely consider itself a follower. That's a shame, for those who remember the original Honda Insight. It may have looked quirky, cost a great deal and only seated...
Antony Ingram -
"We can't provide you with any information related to future product technologies or timing." That's the standard response from carmakers--in this case, from Kevin Kelly, GM's Manager, Electric Vehicle and Hybrid Communications--when asked a question they'd rather not address. Our question was pretty simple: Please comment on a recent report of the rumored death--or long delay--of the Two-Mode hybrid trucks, which include three full-size sport utility vehicles from Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC, and two pickup trucks from Chevy and GMC. The report by GMinsider said that GM has largely shut...
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2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid: Can It Compete With Toyota Prius?Several carmakers now offer hybrid models of existing cars, but the number of dedicated full hybrids on the mass market has been exactly one for a decade: the Toyota Prius, now a line of four models. The launch of the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, which we recently drove, doubles that number. And the...
John Voelcker -
2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid: First DriveLast week, Honda released the specs and photos for its 2014 Accord Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid. Now, we can talk about what it's like on the road. The short answer? Like the Ford C-Max Hybrid, it offers new and strong competition for a model of the well-established Toyota Prius--in this case, the...
John Voelcker -
Can You Buy A Used Toyota Prius Hybrid For Under $5,000?There was a time when buying a hybrid car meant that you had to shell out big bucks for the privilege of better gas mileage. But with the first Toyota Prius hybrids now over 10 years old, can you buy a used Toyota Prius hybrid for $5,000 or less? We hit popular Internet auction site eBay to find...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Honda CR-Z Hybrid Hatchback Update TeasedIf you want a car that's both sporty and economical, there aren't many choices under $20,000. The Honda CR-Z is one of those choices, but both gearheads and green-minded buyers have criticized the car for failing to offer enough of what they want. As revealed by our sister site MotorAuthority...
Antony Ingram -
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid: First DriveThe verdict is in: At last, the fabled Toyota Prius hybrid has a viable competitor. If you're in the market for a five-door hybrid hatchback with very high fuel economy--an EPA rating of 47 mpg combined--you should drive a C-Max Hybrid before you trot down to your local Toyota dealer and sign the...
John Voelcker