Green Car News
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The prospects for clean-diesel passenger cars are, slowly, looking up. Long-time diesel stalwarts Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen were joined in the U.S. market by BMW and Audi a few years ago, and the number of diesel models rises this year with the addition of the new 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI and the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S 350 Bluetec. Each year, The Diesel Driver website asks its readers, diesel fans, and green-car advocates to vote on nominees for its Diesel Car of the Year award. Last year, thousands of votes came in from passionate diesel supporters. And by the time you read this, voting...
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Nissan Picks Coulomb To Keep Its Charging Points Up To DateOnce in a while, you get an announcement that looks interesting but requires ... ummmmm ... some interpretation. During the barrage of car launches, interviews, press releases, and general running around that comprised media days at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show, we got a press release with the...
John Voelcker -
Pump Rebels Calendar: Sex Sells, Even For High-MPG CarsHave you ever bought a product solely because it was advertised by someone you find attractive? It's okay, you're among friends - you can tell us. If you answered yes, then you'd better get saving for that energy-efficient vehicle, as a new yearly calendar called Pump Rebels (via the mynissanleaf...
Antony Ingram -
Electric Honda Fit EV: Details, Live Photos From L.A. Auto ShowOne year ago, Honda unveiled a prototype Fit EV electric car at the Los Angeles Auto Show. This year, it showed a refined version that it says it will offer for lease next summer in California and Oregon, expanding into six East Coast markets early the following year. Lease only, no sales Honda...
John Voelcker -
2013 Chevrolet Spark: Details, Live Photos From L.A. Auto ShowIt's the smallest car ever sold as a Chevrolet. It's already a huge hit in India (where it's fitted with a tiny 0.9-liter three-cylinder turbodiesel). And now it's coming to the U.S. At this week's Los Angeles Auto Show media days, the 2013 Chevrolet Spark minicar shared the stage with a Chevrolet...
John Voelcker -
Hydrogen: Entering The Limelight, Or Still Not Ready Yet?Every so often when discussing alternative fuels, the subject of hydrogen comes up. Some carmakers, including Mercedes-Benz and Honda, have been pursuing hydrogen as an alternative to gasoline and diesel for several years now, and at the recent 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show Mercedes created a stir with...
Antony Ingram -
There are many good reasons to drive a hybrid car, but did you know that one of them is improved safety levels? It's true - according to data gathered by the Highway Loss Data Institute (via Automotive News), crashing in hybrid vehicles like the Honda Accord Hybrid or Toyota Highlander Hybrid is less likely to result in injury compared to an equivalent regular gasoline car. On average, the odds are 25 percent lower. Heavier still equals safer One major factor seems to be the extra weight that hybrids carry in batteries and electrical systems. At this point, safety begins to come down to...
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Jaguar Wants Small, Luxury City Car With Good Gas MileageTraditionally, small city cars haven’t been viewed by the mainstream auto industry or most car buyers with much enthusiasm. Now they’re so trendy that even renowned luxury brands like Jaguar want to build one. Speaking with What Car? magazine at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Jaugar...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Infiniti Sneaks Pictures Out Of New Electric Sports Car ConceptAll eyes might be focused on the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, but luxury automaker Infiniti has decided to turn attention to the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, where it plans to unveil a range-extended, electric sports car concept. We don’t know anything at this moment about the car’s...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
It’s Official: Car Buyers Want Greener Cars, Better Gas Mileage, Lower EmissionsWhile certain parts of the automotive industry might not be feeling the love towards the tough new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards announced yesterday, it turns out that 93 percent of car owners are want to buy greener, cleaner cars. In a study conducted by Consumer Reports, 86...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
No Bull With Fisker Karma's Low Carbon, Sustainable LeatherIt would be a shame to put so much effort into making a luxury super sedan like the 2012 Fisker Karma, only to fill the interior with materials that go against the low-carbon ethos. That's why Fisker and Scottish leather producer Bridge of Weir have announced their partnership for the Karma. The...
Antony Ingram -
Chevy Volt To Qualify For California HOV-Lane Access In 2012Chevrolet announced today at the Los Angeles Auto Show that its Volt extended-range electric car will qualify for solo access to California's HOV lanes, a feature deeply desired by many of the state's car buyers. A 'Low Emissions Package' will be fitted as standard equipment to all Volts sold in...
John Voelcker -
Among the green cars making their debuts at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show this week is the 2012 Mazda CX-5. While it made its world debut back at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, we weren’t entirely sure what its specifications for the U.S. market would be. Now we do. Weighing in at under 3500 pounds, the 2013 Mazda CX-5 is a compact crossover capable of producing 155 horsepower from its 2.0 liter, four cylinder Skyactiv-G engine -- the same engine in fact as used in the 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv. With what Mazda claims is the highest compression ratio engine for its class, the Mazda CX-5 is...
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New Fuel Economy Standards For 2025 Coming TodayWhile much of the auto industry is focused on the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, a handful of folks are looking in the opposite direction, toward Washington, D.C. There, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation are expected to announce new fuel economy regulations that...
Richard Read -
"Small And Wicked" 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth Debuts At L.A. ShowWhere the standard Fiat 500 minicar is all about "aaaaahhhhh", the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth we revealed a few weeks back is much more about "GRRRRRRRRRR". This time the 500 has shed all its cutesy looks and gained a wide stance and aggressive bodykit. The style is in keeping with a long history of...
Antony Ingram -
One Year, One Talk-Show Host, 11,000 Miles, And No GasolineTalk-show host Jay Leno might own everything from vintage Model T Fords through to large-engined, gas-guzzling supercars, but it turns out his daily driver is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt he purchased last year. And in that time, Leno says, he hasn’t visited a gas-station once. Since collecting...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Azure's Ford Transit Connect Electric Wagon: First Five-Seat All-Electric Wagon In U.S.In a press release a few hours ahead of the start of the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford and electric vehicle partner Auzure Dynamics has announced the Ford Transit Connect Electric will be joined in 2012 by an five-seat electric wagon version for the commercial market. Aimed at businesses rather...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2011 LA Auto Show: Coda Releases Pricing, Details on 2012 SedanIt’s taken a long time arriving, but we finally know how much a 2012 Coda Sedan will cost you to buy: $39,900 before state and federal incentives. In a press release to coincide with the start of the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Coda has finally disclosed some of the key features of its...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Fisker Automotive, maker of the plug-in Karma sports sedan, hasn’t had an easy time of late, thanks to the Karma’s rather low EPA fuel economy rating and slower-than-expected initial production volumes. But that is all behind the firm, company Chairman Ray Lane told Reuters yesterday. In an interview with the news agency, Lane confirmed that Fisker was confident about meeting its 15,000 Karma production target for next year. “In production of a first vehicle, everything doesn’t go the way you plan,” Lane explained. “Next year, we’ll do exactly what we...
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All-New 2013 Ford Escape: Full Details From LA Auto ShowFor the new 2013 Ford Escape, introduced today at the Los Angeles Auto Show, it's all about efficiency--and family-friend features designed to lure buyers who can choose from a growing array of very competent compact crossovers. Ford has already revealed the three engines available for its new...
John Voelcker -
Little Love For Nissan Leaf In Luxury-Conscious Hong KongIf you thought the Nissan Leaf was a hard sell in the expanses of North America, then you may be surprised to learn it's doing far less well in one of its natural habitats. Cities are where electric cars often make the most sense, but the fashion and luxury-conscious buyers in smog-ridden Hong Kong...
Antony Ingram -
Toyota Prepares Fuel Cell, Plug-in Electric Cars For 2012 Tokyo Auto ShowWith the 42nd Tokyo Auto Show just weeks away, Japanese automaker Toyota has detailed more about the four cars it will premiere at the show, including the much-anticipated Prius C compact hybrid, the FCV-R fuel-cell vehicle, and the FT-EVIII and Fun-Vii electric cars. Toyota Prius C One of the auto...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Toyota Prius C: Video Shows Sporty Hybrid On The RoadEarlier today, Toyota released the first images of its 2012 Prius C compact hybrid hatchback that will arrive at U.S. dealers next year. The 2012 Toyota Prius C will be the fourth member of the growing Prius family, joining the classic Prius five-door hatchback, the 2012 Prius V wagon, and the 2012...
John Voelcker -
Ford: "People Think We're Poor On Gas Mileage"Ford has an image problem. Not to the average punter of course - cars like the Fiesta and Focus are at the top of the class and the Mustang undoubtedly casts a halo over the brand. No, Ford's image problem is one of gas mileage. According to Automotive News, Ford says only 32 percent of U.S...
Antony Ingram