Green Car News
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Audi has revealed more details of its second major plug-in hybrid drivetrain, set to appear first in the upcoming Audi A8 e-tron luxury sedan. The German automaker has chosen to go down the diesel route with its larger plug-in hybrid setup, which Auto Express reveals will use a new 3.0-liter V-6 diesel. Until now, it hadn't been clear whether Audi would use a diesel unit in its new plug-in hybrid, or a gasoline one--such as the V-6 engine used in the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid. Audi confirms the diesel plug-in will have a total system output of 368 horsepower and 516 pounds-feet of...
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Japan's Fuel-Cell Vehicle Pursuit: Is It Obama's 'All Of The Above' Approach?Two Japanese automakers, Toyota and Honda, are putting their weight behind fuel-cell vehicles, rather than battery electric cars, as the alternative-propulsion technology of the future. Time will tell if that's a wise decision but they do at least have one significant supporter--the Japanese...
Antony Ingram -
2015 Volkswagen e-Golf: Quick Preview Drive Of All-Electric HatchbackVolkswagen has bet very heavily on diesel, with its TDI models; yet it's preparing to bring its all-electric Golf, called the e-Golf, to the U.S. later this year. And we took another short drive in it this past week—this time on U.S. shores. The e-Golf, as it will be sold beginning this...
Bengt Halvorson -
Tesla's Impact, 2015 BMW Active Tourer Details, 2015 Ford F-150 Buyer Views: Today's Car NewsBMW, Ford, and Tesla make headlines today.
Stephen Edelstein -
2016 Smart Fortwo Faces Mercedes S-Class In Crash Test: VideoReassuring people that its tiny Fortwo city car is safe must be a constant struggle for Daimler's Smart brand. In Europe, where the diminutive cars roam around streets barely wider than the car, it's not such a problem. But in the U.S, where half the population drives 5,000-lb pickup trucks, people...
Antony Ingram -
China To Mandate One-Third Of Government Vehicles Be Plug-InsChina is continuing its march of electric car progress with the announcement that 30 percent of all government vehicles should be plug-ins. Battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell cars will all be eligible under the plan, set to be phased in over the next two years. According to...
Antony Ingram -
BMWs are big, aggressive gas-guzzlers, right? Not so much, in recent months. The BMW i3 electric car is already finding fans, as is the plug-in hybrid i8. And while the new BMW 2-Series Active Tourer doesn't have electric drive on its side, the small, front-wheel drive BMW compact car certainly marks a departure from BMWs of old. It's engine choice, for example, has more in common with the recently-launched MINI Cooper than it does any other BMW. While U.S. engine choices haven't yet been confirmed, European buyers will get a choice of three- and four-cylinder gasoline and diesel units that...
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Tesla's Important Not Only For Electric Cars But For Silicon Valley: OpinionThe Tesla Model S is undoubtedly an excellent car. It's quick, efficient, looks good to most eyes and can compete with most fossil-fueled equivalents on even footing. READ: White House Responds To Tesla Direct-Sales Petition: Sorry, Talk To Congress But it's arguably not Tesla's, nor Silicon...
Antony Ingram -
Aluminum-Bodied 2015 Ford F-150 Pickup Truck: Buyers Intrigued, Report SaysA new study finds customers are interested in Ford's new aluminum-bodied truck.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Spat, Lexus NX Hybrid Driven, Bigger Volt Battery: The Week In Reverse (VIDEO)Why did a Tesla executive get so angry at Hyundai? And what's the new Lexus NX hybrid crossover like on the road? This is the Week In Reverse for Friday, July 18, 2014, right here at Green Car Reports. They've been on sale for two months now, but BMW won't say how many i3 electric cars were sold...
John Voelcker -
GM Diesel SUVs, Electric-Car Gathering Cancelled, Airbus E-Fan Flies: Today's Car NewsDiesel SUVs and electric aircraft make headlines today.
Stephen Edelstein -
SUVs And Crossover Utility Vehicles Now Outsell Sedans In U.S.SUV and crossover sales outpace sedan sales for the first time ever.
Stephen Edelstein -
The third annual BC2BC electric-car rally is cancelled three weeks before the planned kickoff.
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Quant Limousine With Flow-Cell Battery Tech Begins German Road TrialsAt the Geneva Motor Show in March, German firm Quant revealed a car powered by what it called 'nanoFLOWCELL' technology. Now, the flow-cell vehicle will make its road-going debut, as the car has been approved for real-world testing by the TÜV or Technischer Überwachungsverein, Germany's...
Antony Ingram -
GM Full-Size SUVs To Get Diesel Engine Option For Fuel Efficiency?: UPDATEThe Cadillac Escalade may add diesel and gasoline V-6 engine options in the near future.
Stephen Edelstein -
Airbus Electric Aircraft Makes Public Flight In UK, We Still Want OneAircraft--larger ones, at least--are surprisingly fuel-efficient ways of moving people around. They are however quite noisy, and aren't subject to nearly as many pollution controls as road vehicles, so there's still plenty room for improvement. The E-Fan light aircraft, designed by Airbus, looks...
Antony Ingram -
2016 Smart ForTwo Details, 2016 Mazda 2 Revealed, BMW i3 REx Sales: Today's Car NewsBMW, Mazda, and Smart make headlines today.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 BMW i3: Is Range Extended Version Outselling Battery Only?The 2014 BMW i3 electric car has a unique feature offered by no other vehicle in the world: Buyers can choose to have it as a battery-electric vehicle, or add an optional range-extending engine that roughly doubles its rated electric range of 81 miles. With the i3 on sale now for two months, a mix...
John Voelcker -
Mazda has revealed the first official pictures and details of the new Mazda2 subcompact. Unsurprisingly, it bears striking resemblance to the Hazumi concept launched at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, and utilizes the firm's now-standard 'Kodo' design language. That means a familiar grille design and flowing curves, which work almost as well here as they do on the larger Mazda3, Mazda6 and the CX-5 crossover. Its proportions are similar to the outgoing model, but the stubby hood now contains the latest iterations of Mazda's Skyactiv engine and transmission range. In Europe, that...
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Audi A3 e-Tron Plug-In Hybrid: Not A Compliance Car, Exec SaysTwo years ago, we described the difference between high-volume electric cars and "compliance cars"--those built in very limited numbers solely to meet California rules that require a certain number of zero-emission vehicles to be sold each year. Now it appears that manufacturers don't want new...
John Voelcker -
2016 Smart ForTwo And ForFour: World Debut Live PhotosDaimler will be hoping that third time is the charm with the new third-generation 2016 Smart Fortwo and its four-seat counterpart. The all-new models have now been revealed in all their glory at the launch event in Berlin, and while several facets of the brand's values remain, a whole lot has...
Antony Ingram -
Is Detroit Responding To Tesla Patent Offer With Collective 'Meh'?Last month, electric car maker Tesla Motors took the unusual step of opening up its patents to other automakers. Automakers usually guard their patents very closely, ensuring them as much competitive advantage as they can get away with before someone builds something better. Open Tesla's patents...
Antony Ingram -
2016 Smart ForTwo: What You Should Know About All-New MinicarThe new Smart ForTwo and Smart ForFour minicar models have just made their world debuts in Berlin, and we've got the details. Thus far, only the two-seat Smart ForTwo has been confirmed for the U.S. It will launch as a 2016 model. While the Smarts will offer buyers in most markets a choice between...
Matthew Askari -
Tesla Model III Named, More 2015 Chevy Volt Details, Toyota Prius At Nurburgring: Today's Car NewsChevrolet, Tesla, and Toyota make headlines today.
Stephen Edelstein