Green Car News
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Sigh. Here we go again. It's the first of the month, which means that auto journalists are scrambling to put together their monthly sales reports. Sales in May weren't great, for a variety of reasons: higher prices and shortages of some Japanese models, among others. Unusual scrutiny But the most dismal part of the monthly process is watching the inordinate attention paid to sales of the two plug-in electric cars now available at U.S. dealerships. Those are the 2011 Chevy Volt and the 2011 Nissan Leaf, and every month their sales have been followed with the kind of media scrutiny usually...
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Chevrolet Cruze Gas MileageWith two models--one all about gas mileage, with two transmission options, plus the other one, which has two engines and two transmissions--the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze may take some sorting out if you're looking to maximize your fuel economy. At least there's only one body style for the new 2011...
John Voelcker -
Mitsubishi Turns 2012 ‘i’ into Portable Emergency Power StationVehicle-to-grid (V2G) isn’t a new concept, and is the name given to technology which gives plug-in vehicles the ability to feed power stored in their battery packs back to the utility company at points of peak electrical demand. But we’ve yet to see the technology being implemented in...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Audi A2 e-tron Electric Car Concept Headed To Frankfurt Auto Show: ReportThe last we heard Audi was working on a new generation of its slow selling but technologically advanced A2 hatchback for launch in 2015. According to latest reports, a concept version of this new A2 could be revealed as early as the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show this September, and it’s expected...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2001-2003 Toyota Prius Recall: Steering Nut On Early HybridsToyota has issued a recall notice for its very earliest hybrids, the 2001 through 2003 Prius sedan models. The company will replace the pinion-shaft attachment nuts in the electric power steering box, which could loosen over time if the wheel is "repeatedly and strongly turned" to the full-lock...
John Voelcker -
Audi A2 To Get E-tron Treatment for 2011 Frankfurt Motor ShowThe Frankfurt Motor Show may be three months away, but it is already promising to be an exciting show for lovers of electric cars. Yesterday we heard that BMW is expected to unveil a version of its much-anticipated i3 electric hatchback, but it now appears that Audi is expected to unveil its own...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
It may only be two weeks since Germany’s Chancellor Merkel announced that her government would help bring 1 million plug-in vehicles to the roads of Germany by 2020 but her bold goal is already being dismissed as impossible by the very automakers her Government is planning to help. Enter Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche. Talking to the German Bild newspaper earlier this week Zetsche was far from welcoming of the German government’s electric vehicle program, which includes $1.4 billion investment in electric vehicle research and development. Why? It lies in the lack of purchase subsidies...
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Fisker Karma In Monaco: Winner Of Owner Royalty Award?According to startup plug-in hybrid maker Fisker Automotive, production of its 2011 Fisker Karma luxury sports sedan recently started in Finland. The company says it is focusing on delivering cars to dealers, so aside from giving a very small handful of journalists some quick driving time within...
John Voelcker -
Honda Civic Gas MileageWith a redesigned range of Civic sedan and coupe models, and no fewer than five separate variants, the new 2012 Honda Civic makes an aggressive effort to position Honda at the forefront of gas mileage. Unlike models from other makers, if you order a standard 2012 Civic with the 1.8-liter engine...
John Voelcker -
BMW i3 Electric Car to Debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show?According to sources close to BMW the German automaker is reputedly working on five models to premiere at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show in September, including its long-awaited i3 electric car. BMW has kept details of its first mass-produced electric car quiet, although the ongoing stream of...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
This Summer’s Six Best Convertibles For Great Gas MileageSummer is finally upon us and that means convertible owners will be cruising the highways with their tops down and the wind in their hair. Convertibles are traditionally more fuel hungry than their hard-top siblings due to the extra weight the vehicles carry, not only from their automated folding...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
By Royal Appointment? Electric Cars Welcome in Prince of Wales’ Eco-villageWhile many in the United Kingdom doubt that he will accede his mother Queen Elizabeth II to the throne and become King, HRH the Prince of Wales has never been one to shy away from helping his subjects combine quintessential British values with new technology. His latest project does exactly that...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
It may be the most star-crossed program in recent automotive history, and now it's apparently dead. According to Reuters, General Motors has canceled work on the planned plug-in hybrid version of its Cadillac SRX crossover sport utility. The canceled SRX plug-in would have been the second GM car, after the 2011 Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car, to plug into grid electricity to recharge a lithium-ion battery pack that provides all-electric running. Too costly, too late? Unnamed sources gave several reasons, among them that the SRX plug-in would have lost money, that the changes it...
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Small Cars Dominate TheCarConnection.com’s Efficient Convertible ListWith the rising gas prices it may seem like you have to give up things in order to save money at the pump. You can combine trips to save fuel, keep your tires inflated properly, make sure your car is tuned up and drive to maximize your mpgs. With the latest top of top list from TheCarConnection.com...
Jonathan McGrew -
DRIVEN: 2011 Nissan LEAF Comes To Colorado For BOLDERBoulderMemorial Day weekend is a time of year where we honor veterans, look forward to the three-day weekend and for some in Colorado run the BolderBoulder 10K. This year in a newly announced “Innovation for Endurance” partnership, Nissan and Rodale are connecting the Nissan LEAF with a series...
Jonathan McGrew -
Nissan Takes New Advertising Angle With Insight Into a Gas Powered WorldIn automotive news the electric car is like the sci-fi section of a bookstore—full of technological advances and experiences that some might think were alien. That said, Nissan is trying to put their all-electric, zero-emissions LEAF in a new light. The latest round of commercials from Nissan...
Jonathan McGrew -
Milestone Achievements: Mazda3 Reaches 3 Million UnitsFor years the question has been asked, “How long does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.” Ultimately the answer was three and similarly Mazda has hit a milestone that also uses the numeral three in it. This month marked the production of the 3 millionth Mazda3 or Axela as it...
Jonathan McGrew -
New Fuel Economy Label Highlights Electric Cars, Plug-InsThe Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation have unveiled their updated fuel economy labels. There's some new information aimed squarely to inform consumers looking to buy a hybrid vehicle, plug-in hybrid, or electric car. First and foremost are the MPG or MPGe ratings...
Kevin Lee -
Twenty years ago small cars were generally seen as low cost transportation that would generally only get you from point A to point B. Small cars have come a long way from that in today’s automotive market with manufacturers like Ford, Hyundai, Chevrolet, BMW and Audi just to name a few. Why do I say that? Mainly because in the last year we have seen auto makers put options in small cars that used to be reserved only for the upper echelons. The 2012 Ford Focus has Park Assist where it will basically park itself. The 2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited comes with heated front and rear...
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Nissan Goes Gas Powered, Attacks Chevy Volt in New Leaf Advert (VIDEO)Imagine a world where electricity didn’t power your Television, your iPod or your computer. And then imagine a world where you had a single cylinder combustion engine powering your cellphone and your dentist used a gasoline-powered drill to drill that cavity. That’s the...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Making Music With A Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid & Unattended BaggageAbout a year and a half ago, Scion launched a new webmagazine called ScionAV. The goal? To engage potential Scion shoppers (i.e. Millennials) on lifestyle topics like music, film, and fashion. It's the way marketing works in the Social Media Age: you don't just talk to customers in showrooms, you...
Richard Read -
Toyota Prius Gas MileageThe 2011 Toyota Prius hybrid gets the best gas mileage rating of any car for sale in the U.S. market today. It's rated at 51 mpg city, 48 mpg highway, for a combined rating of 50 mpg--and that's a number no other car can match. At least, no other car that doesn't plug into the wall for some (2011...
John Voelcker -
Why Haven't Hybrid Sales Been Higher, And Should They Be?Hybrid cars seem to bring out strong beliefs among car buyers, both pro and con. On the pro side, they get better gas mileage, offer some small degree of all-electric running, and let buyers display (to varying degrees) their green credentials. On the con side, they're usually pricier than...
John Voelcker -
Electric Car Charging Faster With Unofficial Hardware UpgradeWe’ll admit that when we first heard that some technically-minded Nissan Leaf owners and engineers were hacking the portable 120 Volt level 1 Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE - or charge cable) provided with every 2011 Nissan Leaf we were more than cautious to the idea that it could be...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield