Plug-In Hybrids
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For years, prestige car brands remained insulated from the drive towards greater fuel economy and higher gas mileages. However, tightening regulations on gas mileage and emissions have forced many luxury automakers to take fuel economy seriously for the first time, requiring them to look for alternatives to traditional large-capacity engines to power their cars. But according to Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer, Bentley isn’t about to ditch its V-8 and W-12 engines due to environmental and regulatory pressure. Instead, Bentley will use them alongside electric motors in its first ever...
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Fisker Issues Recall And Personal Apology For Software GlitchA bug in supplied software has prompted Fisker to issue a second recall for Karma models, and owners will get a personal apology from Henrik Fisker himself.
Kurt Ernst -
2012 Toyota NS4 Plug-In Hybrid Concept: Detroit Auto Show VideoThe 2012 Toyota NS4 Plug-In Hybrid Concept represents not just a new styling direction for Toyota, but quite possibly the start of a new model line.
Kurt Ernst -
Ford C-Max Energi Plug-In Hybrid Minivan: VideoFord's C-Max is a vehicle currently unfamiliar to U.S. drivers, but popular in Europe as a more practical alternative to the Ford Focus, which donates its platform. However, just like the Ford Focus and 2013 Ford Fusion, the C-Max is soon to become another global vehicle for Ford. The 2012 Detroit...
Antony Ingram -
95% Of All Trips Could Be Made In Electric Cars, Says StudyHere at GreenCarReports, we often hear excuses from people who say they want to buy an electric car but feel unable to. Aside from increased sticker price, one of the more common excuses given is the worry that an electric car won’t meet their mileage needs due to range limitations per charge...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
U.S. Sec. Of Energy: Cheaper Batteries Mean More Electric CarsYou’re probably well aware that some of our fellow journalists in the mainstream media aren’t big fans of plug-in hybrid and pure electric cars at the moment. But U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has reiterated his support of electric cars, predicting that electric cars will command a...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Last year wasn’t a great one for General Motors’ first production plug-in range-extended electric car. Continued negative press -- not to mention post-crash-test fires and production-line upgrades -- conspired to produce first-year sales figures a little lower than GM had hoped. Does that mean the Chevrolet Volt is a sales flop? According to GM’s Vice Chairman Steve Girsky, it’s too early to tell. More Time Needed Speaking at the Automotive News World Congress event on Tuesday evening at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, Girsky was keen to point out that while the Chevrolet...
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NHTSA: Chevy Volt Battery Pack Fix OK, Ends InvestigationOfficials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have said they are happy with the proposed safety enhancements for the 2011 and 2012 Chevrolet Volt designed to minimize the risk of battery pack fire following a major impact. In an interview yesterday at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2013 Ford Fusion: Full Details Of All-New Mid-Size Sedan At Detroit Auto ShowUnlike most cars, the current Ford Fusion is selling better now than it has at any time during its eight-year model run. That's a great lead-in for Ford, which is launching the all-new 2013 Ford Fusion at the Detroit Auto Show. With a sleeker design, a choice of three four-cylinder engines, plus...
John Voelcker -
2012 Detroit Auto Show: Green Car Preview--Production ModelsNext week's Detroit Auto Show promises to be the busiest and most influential in several years. With the auto industry continuing to recover slowly from its 2008 meltdown and Chinese sales rising, both U.S. and overseas automakers will launch new models and show off gleaming concept cars. And green...
Antony Ingram -
Toyota NS4 Plug-In Hybrid Video: 2012 Detroit Auto Show PreviewEven the most ardent hybrid car fan would struggle to say they're the sort of vehicle to get your pulse racing. Today, Toyota released an official video of its upcoming plug-in hybrid concept, the NS4. Last month, Toyota (via Motor Authority) previewed the NS4 concept. Due at the 2012 Detroit Auto...
Antony Ingram -
Hyundai, Kia To Expand Hybrids, Electrics With New InvestmentIf you're looking to buy a hybrid or electric car in the next few years, you could certainly do worse than to keep your eye on the Korean carmakers. Hyundai Motor Group, the company in charge of both Hyundai and Kia, has announced heavy investment into hybrid and electric technology this year...
Antony Ingram -
Finding out about battery defects was something of a nightmare before Christmas for luxury automaker Fisker, who suddenly had to deal with news that its Karma might be liable to catch fire. Fisker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have now officially announced a recall for 239 Karma electric sedans currently roaming the streets. All models made between July 1, 2011 and November 3, 2011 contain misaligned hose clamps for the battery cooling system, which could spring a leak. The NHTSA recall notice describes the possible consequence of such a leak, "If coolant...
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Volt-Style Battery Nightmare Before Christmas Haunts FiskerWhat holiday gift do you give Fisker Automotive, the company responsible for the world’s first plug-in hybrid sports coupe? A Matchbox 2012 Fisker Karma perhaps? But a public suggestion that the battery packs inside the $106,000+ Fisker Karma luxury plug-in hybrid are at risk of a coolant...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Plug-in Army Tanks? Coming To A Battlefield Near YouThink of plug-in hybrids and you’ll probably think of cars like the 2012 Chevrolet Volt or 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. But plug-in hybrid army tanks? They might just be closer than you think. Enter the U.S. Army, and its latest prototype test vehicle, a fully-amored plug-in vehicle...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Fisker Karma Electric Car: Quick Drive Review [Video]Price increases be damned, the 2012 Fisker Karma is finally here, and first examples are about to arrive in customers' driveways. Earlier in the week we posted our video driving impressions of the new four-door extended-range electric car from startup Fisker Automotive. Now it's time to expand on...
Joel Feder -
Five Holiday gift Ideas For Hybrid Car DriversThere’s just over one week left until Christmas, so we hope you’ve done most of your gift shopping to spare you that last-minute holiday rush. But have you got a present for your favorite hybrid car driver? Last week, we told you about our Five Holiday Gift Ideas For Electric Car...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
MPGe Showdown: Ford Claims C-Max Energi Will Beat Volt, Prius Plug-InWhen they're feeling confident, automakers boast about their specs, ratings, and performance with direct comparisons to the competition. It's horsepower for specialty cars like the perennial Camaro-Mustang duel, but increasingly for mainstream and green cars, it's miles per gallon. Yesterday, we...
John Voelcker -
One year ago today, the very first 2011 Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car was delivered to a retail buyer, in Denville, New Jersey. The Volt was intended not only to be the first production plug-in electric car from General Motors--erasing memories of the ill-fated EV1--but to serve as a technology halo car for the just-bailed-out company. What a difference a year makes. Against a steady drumbeat of anti-Volt diatribes from the occasionally fact-free Fox News, the Volt has racked up some interesting numbers. Garage fires: 2 (in Barkhamsted, Connecticut, and Mooresville, South...
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2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept Previews Hybrid: Detroit Auto ShowAs teaser photos go, it's laughably minimal: two strips of white letters, on a black background, that spell "Accord Concept". Oooooooooohhhhhhhhh. Nonetheless, that's what Honda issued last Sunday with the news that it will show an Accord Coupe concept vehicle at the upcoming 2012 Detroit Auto...
John Voelcker -
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, C-Max Energi Plug-In: More DetailsThe new Escape crossover arrives at dealers in mere months, minus the hybrid model of its predecessor. That means it's now time to talk about the new 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, which will serve as the company's hybrid entry in the compact segment. The 2013 C-Max is a five-passenger small minivan or...
John Voelcker -
2012 Fisker Karma: Price Goes Up Again, To $106,000 Or HigherWith the 2012 Fisker Karma now, finally, arriving in volume at dealerships, Fisker Automotive should finally begin to record some retail sales this month. Still, we're not sure that raising your prices right as your first customers return to their dealers to take delivery is particularly gracious...
John Voelcker -
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid Wagon: A Hint Of Things To Come?After nearly a year of waiting, Volvo has announced the full specifications and pricing of its first plug-in hybrid car, the 2012 Volvo V60 Diesel Plug-in Hybrid Wagon. Last February, we were invited to Sweden to get an exclusive sneak peak of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid Wagon concept. Then in June we...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Fisker Karma Electric Car First Drive Impressions: VideoAfter what feels like forever, the 2012 Fisker Karma electric car is finally about to go on sale. Last month, we showed you how to order a Fisker Karma. Now, we've been able to slide behind the wheel of a new 2012 Fisker Karma EcoSport to bring you some quick first-drive impressions of the car's...
Joel Feder