Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Editor
Articles
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A few years back Chrysler showed off all manner of hybrid, range-extended and all-electric concepts in the hope that these vehicles would eventually see production, thus catapulting the automaker to...
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Report: All-Wheel Drive Hybrid Hard Hitter To Join Ford Focus LineupHot hatches. The Europeans love them, we--as a whole--apparently hate them, and consequently miss out on some amazing cars that our cousins across the Atlantic have been enjoying for years. But that’s all about to change thanks to stylish newcomers like the 2011 Ford Fiesta and upcoming 2012...
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One Man Fights Toyota And WinsIt’s not every day that a small guy gets embroiled in a lawsuit with an automotive giant like Toyota and actually wins but that’s exactly what happened in the case of Alex Severinsky and his claims of patent-infringement. The dispute actually dates back several years and surrounds...
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2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Priced From $35,180--Same As Gas Only ModelWith a fuel economy of 36 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway, the new 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid already lays claim to the title of being the world’s most fuel efficient luxury sedan, and now it’s making the headlines once again. Lincoln will sell its new hybrid at the same base price as...
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Senate Panel Approves $3.6 Billion Funding For EV InfrastructureThe electric vehicle revolution took a major step towards becoming a reality with the Senate Energy Committee approving today a new $3.6 billion bill to support the development of plug-in electric vehicles through a series of deployment communities to be set up around the country. These...
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BMW Megacity On Show At 2012 London Olympic GamesThough it’s not scheduled to go on sale until 2013, BMW’s upcoming Megacity Vehicle will appear in near-production form one year earlier, at the 2012 Olympics Games taking place in London. BMW is the official automotive partner for the 2012 games so you can bet that a small fleet of the...
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MINI’s ambitious plans to launch a slew of new models shows no signs of slowing. Not only are there new coupe and roadster models planned for the Cooper platform, but a new-generation ‘Moke’...
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Volkswagen Forms Research Alliance To Help Spur EV DevelopmentWhen it comes to electric vehicle (EV) development, even auto giants like Toyota and Daimler are partnering up with smaller specialist firms--in this case Tesla--to benefit from technology sharing and other synergies in their quest to become leaders in the field. So it should come as no surprise...
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Obama Meets The Volt: Sparks Barely FlyPresident Barack Obama’s electric vehicle tour climaxed last Thursday with a visit to the Compact Power battery plant in Holland, Michigan, where he was treated to his first extensive experience with the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The Holland plant just happens to be the place where LG Chem...
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Nissan Unveils Supercharged And Direct-Injected Three-Cylinder EngineHot on the heels of its new dual injector engine comes another relatively unique engine design from Japanese automaker Nissan. The latest innovative design consists of a compact 1.2-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine with direct fuel injection and supercharger technology, boosting output to what...
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President Obama Backs EV Charge With Volt Battery Factory VisitHaving recently visited Smith Electric Vehiclesin Kansas City, Missouri, president Barack Obama is now on his way to the Compact Power battery plant located in Holland, Michigan. The specialized plant will be supplying the upcoming Chevrolet Volt range-extended vehicle with its lithium-ion battery...
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Nissan Launches First Mass Produced Dual Injector EngineNissan recently announced a range of new fuel-saving technologies that it plans to launch over the coming year as part of its new ‘Nissan Green Program 2010’ (NGP 2010) mid-term environmental strategy. The new technologies, in addition to its all-electric Leaf, focus around improving engine and...
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Perhaps it’s a sign of the times but almost every major automaker has unveiled some kind of electrified vehicle, with everything from battery-powered supercars to hybrid urban runabouts making...
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Bill Gates Backs EcoMotors’ New OPOC Engine With $23.5 Million InvestmentThroughout the history of the internal combustion engine there have been a multitude of scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs shouting claims about revolutionary new engine designs promising greater efficiency, more power, fewer emissions and lower production and running costs. However, to this...
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Mitsubishi i-MiEV Could Come With Sub-$30,000 StickerWith any new technology there’s always a steep initial price as low supply and even lower demand play a delicate balancing act that will eventually determine whether the technology lives or dies. The same is true for electric vehicles (EVs), which are still considerably more expensive than...
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Fiat 500 Gets Two-Cylinder Engine In Europe, U.S. Arrival UnlikelyEuropeans fans of the Fiat 500 will soon be able to opt for what the automaker is claiming to be the world's most fuel-efficient gasoline engine, a tiny two-cylinder engine displacing just 0.9-liters. It will be launched in European versions of the 500 and 500C convertible this September but...
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Report: Toyota BEV And Two Prius Variants Coming In 2012Next year will see several major automakers test the waters with their new electric offerings, with cars like the new Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid all available by then. However, the real electric onslaught is expected to come in 2012, a timeframe that will allow...
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Taiwan’s Luxgen Launches World’s First Electric MPVMost readers wouldn’t be familiar with the Luxgen brand. That’s because it’s based in Taiwan and currently only has two models to its name, the Luxgen 7 MPV and Luxgen 7 SUV, both of which are sold in just a few countries in Asia. However, Luxgen is steaming ahead with the launch of its third...
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Volkswagen is intent on becoming the world’s leading automaker by 2018 and that means being the top dog in every segment, including hybrid and electric vehicles. Recently the automaker...
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MINI Clubman S Hybrid Prototype SpiedWe’ve already been treated to an all-electric version of the MINI in the form of the MINI E experimental vehicle, which from our initial drive we determined is far from ready for production, but a hybrid variant could be a much more viable option for the immediate future. BMW appears to have the...
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Ford Develops Renewable Soy-Based RubberFor the major automakers, when it comes to being green, it’s not just about how much fuel a car consumes or the emissions levels coming out of a tailpipe. Instead, we’re seeing companies take a more holistic approach to environmental protection with entire operation lines being made greener...
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Dutch Scientists Develop Concrete That Cleans The AirWhen it comes to air pollution, most attempts to reduce it look at the source rather than after-treatment. Making new cars cleaner and more efficient is only part of the solution; finding ways to treat the pollution coming out of older cars is just as important and there are already millions of...
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Nissan’s New Hybrid System Will Double Mileage Of Gasoline-Only ModelsNissan (and its Infiniti luxury division) may have been late to the table when it comes to hybrids but the Japanese automaker is boasting that its new generation of gasoline-electric vehicles will smash the competition out of the water. Nissan claims that its first vehicle fitted with its own...
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Obama Backing EVs With Missouri VisitPresident Barack Obama isn’t hiding his support for electric vehicles one bit, with the nation’s leader heading to Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday to visit one of a growing number of electric vehicle startups. Obama will be visiting Smith Electric Vehicles, a small firm specializing in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran