Green Car News
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In the past year the 2011 Nissan Leaf has launched in many different countries across the world, from Japan through to Ireland and Australia to Canada. But while you probably know the Nissan Leaf’s sticker price varies from country to country, you may not know there’s a few subtle differences between which features are available as standard in different markets. After spending some time with Nissan Leafs in other countries, here are just a few differences between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Mirror modifications In the U.S. auto-folding door mirrors are seen as an expensive...
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Where Will Electric Cars Be Most Common On U.S. Roads?It's conventional wisdom that more electric cars will be sold in California than in any other state. Some estimates say Californians will buy more plug-in cars than the next five states combined. But California has roughly 25 million vehicles on its roads, so while the absolute numbers are high, it...
John Voelcker -
And The MPG Champion Is... A 6.2-Liter V8 Sport Sedan?
Come up with a list of high MPG cars and we're willing to bet that a car powered by a Chevrolet LS3, 6.2-liter, 425-horsepower V8 wouldn't be present. However, just such a car has won one of the categories in the Fleet World MPG Marathon, bettering its quoted MPG figures by 50 percent. The car in...
Antony Ingram -
GM Makes 2012 Volt Production Line Tweaks, Delays 2nd Shift
Earlier this year, General Motors announced that it would start a second shift at its Detroit-Hamtramck factory some time towards the end of 2011 to meet its production goals for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt. But on Friday the company announced that it was shelving plans to introduce a second shift...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
DC Fast Charging: Mitsubishi Says You Can Do It Every Day
The 2012 Mitsubishi i batteries will retain 80 percent of their original charge after ten years—and that includes a consideration that the battery might be frequently quick-charged.
Bengt Halvorson -
Natural Gas Vehicles Expected To Expand Share, Outside U.S.
Which alternate vehicle or fuel do you know least about? You've almost surely heard about hybrids. You may have seen ethanol, even biodiesel, debated in the news. And if you read this site, you're likely to know that cars that plug into grid power to recharge their battery packs are now on sale...
John Voelcker -
It’s October, and for thousands of motorists in colder states that means only one thing: winter is on the way. But as the trees start to turn to golden reds, the winds start to blow and fall quickly turns to winter, here are five things you should do to help your car keep its gas mileage high this winter. Service your car When was the last time you had your car serviced? If you can’t remember, the chances are your car really should get a trip to your local garage or dealer for a winter-ready tune-up. If you work on your own car, make sure you check the car over thoroughly...
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Fisker Planning Midsize Plug-In Crossover: Report
Fisker is planning to build a midsize crossover on its Nina platform, and the vehicle will be positioned against the upcoming Tesla Model X.
Kurt Ernst -
2012 Hyundai Accent SE: Quick Drive Report--Commuter Car Test
Over a short test that mimicked commuter duty, our 2012 Hyundai Accent SE hatchback returned 33.4 mpg.
John Voelcker -
BREAKING: EVCup Unplugs 2011 Racing Season, Blames Competitors
The organizers behind the 2011 EVCup have just announced that its 2011 season has been cancelled, with further racing events held off indefinitely. Launched back in January last year, the EVCup promised all the thrills and spills of gasoline-fueled car racing, without any of the noxious gasses or...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
No, 2012 Ford Focus Electrics Don’t Have Roof-Mounted Solar Panels
Back in August, Ford announced that it would enter into a partnership with solar panel firm SunPower to help 2012 Ford Focus Electric owners install photovoltaic solar panels on their houses, which could let them power their cars from solar energy. Called “Drive Green For Life”, the...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
National Plug-In Car Day: Promoting Electric Cars, Educating Future Buyers
Cities around the US will host special events on Sunday, October 16, 2011, to promote and educate the public about the growing number of plug-in cars and how they work in real-world driving.
George Parrott -
The Volkswagen Group 2.0-liter clean-diesel TDI engine has been fitted to quite a number of VW vehicles over the years, as well as the Audi A3 TDI. Now the company has announced a voluntary safety recall that applies to both Golf TDI models built from May 2009 to September 2011, and the more numerous Jetta TDI and Jetta SportWagen TDI models built between May 2008 and September 2011. Volkswagen has also temporarily pulled its Jetta TDI and Golf TDI models off sale until new vehicles at dealers can be inspected and repaired if necessary. The 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI, however, uses a somewhat...
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High-Mileage Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain To Get Eco eAssist System For 2014?
The mild-hybrid system that General Motors calls eAssist (on the 2012 Buick Lacrosse and Regal models) will also appear on the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco version. But now it appears that the system will spread further across GM's product lines, with a report on GMInsideNews that it will appear on...
John Voelcker -
2011 Zero S Electric Motorcycle: First Ride Report
In its five-year history, Zero has gone from a single electric motorcross bike to a global operation, building five different electric motorcycles for a variety of markets. So while we were visiting Tesla in California last week, we decided to drop by on Zero's Californian headquarters for a few...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Forget Spark Plugs: Plasma-Based Ignition Makes Engines More Efficient
As long as the internal combustion engine has existed, engineers have been trying to find better ways of igniting the highly combustable mixture of air and gasoline that powers cars. Everything from higher voltage coils through to electronically-timed ignition and making spark plug tips from metals...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
BMW Executives Detail More About 2014 i3 Electric Car
BMW might be working hard to encourage drivers to become electronauts in its Active E electric car trials due to start in the next few months, but the German automaker has already started to drip-feed details of its 2014 i3 electric car to the press. Just last month, BMW unveiled its latest concept...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2013 Dodge Compact Sedan: More Info On Chrysler's Most Crucial Car
The most important car that will be unveiled at next January's Detroit Auto Show may be the new 2013 compact sedan from Dodge, the first all-new vehicle designed by the combined Chrysler-Fiat companies. This morning, spy shots have leaked out and GreenCarReports has a small nugget of information on...
John Voelcker -
The Ford Escape Hybrid was not only the first U.S.-built hybrid electric vehicle, it was also the first hybrid sport-utility vehicle--or crossover, if you prefer. It's had a good run, starting in the fall of 2004 and continuing through the 2012 model year. As of the end of September, Ford has sold 110,000 Escape Hybrids, along with 12,000 related vehicles under the Mercury and Mazda badges But all good things must come to an end, apparently. This will be the last year for the Escape Hybrid; after 2012, it will be replaced with the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, a five-seat small minivan that will...
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2013 Ford Escape Crossover Will Boost Gas Mileage, Drop V-6
The 2013 Ford Escape, the first entirely new design in more than a decade for its popular compact crossover, will be officially unveiled next month at the Los Angeles Auto Show. But before that, Ford is starting to trickle out bits and pieces of information to build buzz. The 2013 Escape will be...
John Voelcker -
What Kind Of People Are Ordering The 2012 Tesla Model S?
You’ve heard about the 2012 Tesla Model S Sport, read our first ride review, and seen our 2012 Tesla Model S gallery -- but unless you’ve already put down a deposit for the 2012 Tesla Model S you won’t be getting one for a while. So who is getting a 2012 Model S? What kind of...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Chevrolet Sonic Goes Extreme To Attract New Customers
When automakers start designing a new car, it’s customary to have a specific demographic of customer in mind. This not only helps to design a car which best suits the needs of a particular subset of buyers, but it also gives the advertising teams something to aim for when coming up with crazy...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Renault Twizy Price Announced -- But Will It Ever Come To The U.S.?
A few years ago the idea that mainstream european automakers would be focusing so much effort on minuscule electric urban runabouts would have been met with derision. But a few weeks after it unveiled its third generation two-seat urban concept vehicle at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, Renault has...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Which State Has The Greenest Cars? California, Of Course
It’s no secret that the state of California is home to some of the most congested roads in the country -- but it is also home to some of the greenest drivers according to a recent study by academics of the Transport Research Institute at the University of Michigan. Reported by The Los Angeles...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
