Robert Scardino, Author
Articles
-
Last November we reported that Sam's Club sold a non-existent sports car called the Liv Inizio by Hybrid Technologies. As it turns out, the start-up EV company (now calling itself EV Innovations)...
-
Next Generation Infiniti M Will Be Offered As A HybridIt took a long time for Nissan to jump on the hybrid bandwagon. So long, in fact, that their only model currently offered as a hybrid, the Altima, still uses Toyota's technology. That will change in 2010 as Nissan rolls out the Infiniti M Hybrid for their luxury brand. The rear-wheel drive M will...
Robert Scardino -
Flight Design's New Hybrid System for PlanesGerman composite plane maker, Flight Design, will introduce a hybrid engine for light planes at the Aero Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany next month. The concept uses a Rotax engine in combination with an electric booster designed with the help of Franz Aircraft Engines. The booster provides an...
Robert Scardino -
Nissan EV Cube to Appear at Kanagawa Electric Vehicle FestaNissan's redheaded stepchild of the Scion xB, called the Cube, will be at the test ride section of the Kanagawa Electric Vehicle Festa this weekend, in EV prototype form. This will give the general public an opportunity to experience the car first hand for the first time. The prototype is front...
Robert Scardino -
Th!nk Plans U.S. FactoryIn December they were begging the Norwegian government for moola. Fast forward a couple months and Th!nk representatives are meeting with eight states in the U.S to discuss plans for an American manufacturing facility and technical center. Th!nk says the manufacturing plant will provide 300 jobs...
Robert Scardino -
UK Gives Land Rover $37 MillionWhat does an iconic SUV maker need to survive the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression? $37 million according to the U.K. government. That's how much Land Rover will receive to develop a 'green' SUV. With sales down 22% last month in the U.K., the government is standing behind it's car...
Robert Scardino -
Ford Motor Company celebrated the production of their 100,000th hybrid at their Kansas City Assembly Plant today. The company, which plans to increase hybrid car production this year with the...
-
eRUF Greenster EV on Display in GenevaThe Bavarian Porsche tuners at RUF have a unique model on display at the Geneva Motor Show. The eRUF Greenster EV is based (in appearance anyway) on the Porsche 997, and RUF's own R and RT-roadster models with one giant exception. The Greenster uses an all-electric powertrain. This is no ordinary...
Robert Scardino -
Nissan, PAG and ECOtality, Inc. Form Zero-Emission Vehicle PartnershipToday the Renault-Nissan Alliance upheld their new tradition of publicizing a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) partnership every week or two. This time Nissan will collaborate with the Pima Association of Governments (PAG), which represents the Tucson, Arizona region. ECOtality, a Scottsdale, Arizona...
Robert Scardino -
Magna Steyr's Hybrid Concept at GenevaAuto parts company, Magna Steyr, is setting itself up for a green future and they're using the Geneva Motor Show to publicize a new hybrid platform to car makers. Named, "Mila," the design consists of a a 67-horsepower electric motor and a 10-kilowatt battery pack. Mila will work in all-electric...
Robert Scardino -
Infiniti Essence: Hybrid Concept with Sex AppealWe're suckers for fast hybrids even if they'll never make it to production. That's exactly what Infiniti Europe has on display at the Geneva Motor Show with the Essence Concept. It's a 592-horsepower rear-wheel drive, gasoline/electric hybrid coupe and its curves should make Beyoncé jealous...
Robert Scardino -
Tesla to Open Chicago Dealership This SpringThe hits keep coming for Chicago. First Kanye West goes triple platinum, then Barack Obama trades his Hyde Park digs for the White House and finally, Tesla Motors is making its way to the Windy City. The makers of the Tesla Roadster electric supercar, have signed a lease in the River West...
Robert Scardino -
WinterGreen Research, Inc. has published a study purporting that 32.7 million electric vehicles will be on the roads in six years. While we couldn't check the math (the study costs $3,400 to...
-
Protoscar Lampo Details UnveiledThe official unveiling of the Protoscar Lampo electric sports car takes place on March 2 at the Geneva Motor Show. The unofficial unveiling has already occurred on Protoscar's website where numerous teasers of the sexy convertible have surfaced. The all wheel drive Lampo has two electric motors...
Robert Scardino -
More Details on Italdesign's Fastest Hybrid Concept CarMore details have emerged about Italdesign's latest hybrid supercar concept expected to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The numbers are staggering. Italdesign claims that the car will tear through 0 to 62 mph in under four seconds and achieve a top speed of 186 miles per hour. That's...
Robert Scardino -
Fisker Karma Ads Hit Airwaves in LAAngelina Jolie wasn't the hottest thing on TV last night during the Oscars. Luxury electric car maker Fisker ran two 60 second spots during the Academy Awards preview show on KTLA-TV in Los Angeles. Don't get your hopes up if you live outside of L.A. though. According to public relations chief...
Robert Scardino -
Chicago Auto Show in the Rear ViewAs the largest and oldest auto show in North America comes to a close, nothing is certain in the automotive industry. General Motors is clinging to life, Ford is banking on new technologies to repair their brand image and increase sales, and Chrysler is putting hope into a conceptual crop of EVs...
Robert Scardino -
Another Giugiaro Hybrid Concept Ready For GenevaThe name Fabrizio Giugiaro is synonymous with fast, stylish cars. The styling director at Italdesign knows how to make car fans drool. In 2006 there was the Giugiaro Mustang Concept with 500 horsepower, a glass roof and doors hinged at the bottom of the A-pillar that tipped forward when opened. At...
Robert Scardino -
Inside Line is reporting that several big-name Hollywood stars are expected to drive their Tesla Roadsters to this Sunday's Academy Awards. Among the names mentioned are George Clooney, Leonardo...
-
RTEV's Wheego Whips Into Dealerships in MayThe Wheego Whip is a low speed electric vehicle. There are no estimates of its 0-60 time, because its top speed is 35 miles per hour. Nevertheless, Ruff and Tuff Electric Vehicles (that name is not made up) believes the Wheego will be the next whip of choice for urban drivers. With a maximum range...
Robert Scardino -
Cops Conserve: NYPD Buys Altima HybridsNYPD is about to roll out some Nissan Altima Hybrids for serious on-duty action. As part of a $1.1 million pilot program, the police will put 40 Altima Hybrids on the road within the next two weeks. Eighteen of the hybrids will be marked patrol cars, twenty will be unmarked and the remaining two...
Robert Scardino -
Subaru Stumps for StellaFuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru, set a goal to sell 100 Stella EVs. Today, they say that goal will be surpassed: Inquiries have already been received for “several hundred” Plug-In Stellas, according to an official at the maker of Subaru cars. Sales of the vehicle, an upgrade...
Robert Scardino -
Honda's Self-Loving New Website - Words of HybridThe Honda Insight is one of the most attention-getting new hybrids on the auto show circuit right now and its web presence just got a boost. Words of Hybrid gives anyone with a hankering for more Honda hybrid info a new destination. The site details the storied history of Honda's gas-electric...
Robert Scardino -
Dodge Ram Hybrid In The WorksUtterly disappointing sales haven't dissuaded Chrysler from working on new hybrids. Yesterday at the Chicago Auto Show, the troubled American automaker announced that a hybrid Dodge Ram pickup is still planned. It's expected that the new pickup will use the same two-mode hybrid system previously...
Robert Scardino