Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, Contributing Writer
Articles
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However good the parent, the arrival of a new baby can have the unfortunate effect of making older siblings feel neglected and unloved.
We didn’t expect those kind of feelings in the automotive...
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Funky Friday: Flux Capacitor Charges Up Historic Electric Drag Racing
Every Friday, those of us who work at GreenCarReports like to kick back a little with a story that, if you’ll forgive us, is more about indulging our fun side than it is educating you about green cars. In keeping with that tradition, we felt it time to combine two of our collective loves --...
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Jaguar Displays XJ_e Plug-in Hybrid At GoodWood Festival Of Speed
In the automotive world, development and commercialization of plug-in vehicles has varied from company to company. While some, like Nissan and General Motors, sell plug-in cars, others, like Jaguar Land Rover, are in developmental stages. Which is why we’re pleased to hear that Jaguar Land...
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2012 Toyota Prius: Most Researched Car By Green-Car Buyers?
Thanks to data published by most automakers every month, it’s pretty easy to find out which cars sell the most. But before any cars are sold, which cars are the most researched by buyers? According to our own data, and some observations we’ve noted from the U.S. Department of...
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How Long Will Your Electric Car Battery Last? It Depends Where You Live
Over the past few months, we’ve been covering the woes of 2011 Nissan Leaf owners in hotter states who have already reported a noticeable loss in battery capacity since their cars were new. The woes of these early-adopting Leaf owners has certainly prompted many to ask if electric car battery...
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In 10 Years, How Much Should An Electric Car Cost? Sec Chu Says $25K
Electric cars have traditionally been more costly to build and buy than their gasoline counterparts thanks to their limited production numbers and the high cost of battery packs. We already know that the price of electric car battery packs are dropping faster than analysts predicted they would, but...
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In our modern world, electricity is literally everywhere, easily assessible from a 110-volt outlet.
That’s fine for running things like laptop computers and televisions, but when it comes to...
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2012 Tesla Model S Owner: 10 Things I LOVE About This Car! (Video)
Normally, when a new car launches, it takes a few weeks before owners start posting their own thoughts and ownership experiences online. But although official deliveries of the 2012 Tesla Model S Sedan started less than a week ago, it hasn’t taken long for Model S owners to evangelize online...
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Busted: 7 Things That Won’t Improve Your Gas Mileage
Here at GreenCarReports, we often remind you what you can do to improve the gas mileage of your car with articles devoted to tire maintenance, good driving practice and following service schedules. According to Consumer Reports however, there are just as many things that are rumored to improve your...
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Pope Proves Electric Cars Are Divine With Donated City Car
Pope Benedict XVI is already called “The Green Pope” thanks to measures taken since his installation to reduce the carbon footprint of the Vatican City. Now the Vatican can add green transport to the list of the Pontiff’s green virtues, thanks to an electric city car donated to...
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2013 Ford Taurus Ecoboost Gets 32 MPG Highway, 26 MPG Combined
If you visit this site regularly, you’ll know that we usually only cover smaller, more fuel efficient cars and those powered by alternative fuels like electricity, hydrogen or biofuels. But yesterday the EPA certified the 2013 Ford Taurus 2.0-liter Ecoboost with gas mileage figures never seen...
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2012 Nissan Leaf To Re-Attempt Reversing World Record At Goodwood
Because electric cars are generally powered by an electric motor via a single gear reduction gearbox, they can theoretically move as quickly backwards as they can forwards. It’s no surprise then that as part of the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed due to take place this week, Nissan says its...
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Have you ever wondered what life would be like if one tiny thing in your world changed? For example, what if you earned more money? Or had a different name?
What if Toyota made a 7-seat version of...
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2012 Toyota Yaris Vs 2012 Honda Fit: Subcompact Hatches Compared
The trendy 2012 Toyota Yaris is certainly an improvement on its predecessor, attracting a lot of attention wherever it goes. But can Toyota’s latest offering in the subcompact hatch war compete with the granddaddy of the segment, the venerable, flexible, upright but jaunty Honda Fit? Both...
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Nissan Leaf: Does A Battery Inspection Give Peace Of Mind?
When a Nissan dealer services an all-electric Nissan Leaf, the garage’s diagnostic computer produces a Battery Information Sheet that can give the owner a an at-a-glance assessment of how healthy the battery is in his or her Leaf. But with several dozen Leaf owners, mainly in warmer states...
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Want To Start An Electric Car Charging Company in CO? You Can, For Just $5,000
If you’ve been reading GreenCarReports for a while, you’ll know that Colorado loves its green cars, with more than double the national average of hybrid cars registered there and some pretty big tax credits available to those buying a plug-in car. Now, thanks to a change in law in the...
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All-Electric Ford Mustang? Don’t Count On It Yet, Says Ford
With its latest generation of EcoBoost engines, plug-in drivetrains, and Internet-connected infotainment systems, Ford wants the world to know it is working toward safer, more informed, and greener cars. But one reporter went slightly off-message at a recent event, asking Executive Chairman Bill...
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More Nissan Leaf Battery Loss, Nissan Doesn’t Blink
Last week, Nissan gave an official response to the handful of Arizona drivers of its 2011 Leaf electric car that had experienced the first signs of battery capacity loss. A week on, with more reports from owners claiming a lost battery capacity bar and in two instances, two capacity bars, Nissan...
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Over the past few years we’ve seen an increasingly large number of compact and subcompact cars with hands free and voice-activated safety technology you’d normally find in premium and...
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Are Electric-Car Batteries Already at $250 Per kWh? Analyst Says Yes
How expensive are electric car battery packs? It’s a topic of much discussion among electric car fans, and a closely guarded secret within the auto industry, but now an industry analyst has suggested that improved technology and economies of scale has lowed electric car battery pack costs to...
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2013: Smart ForTwo Iceshine Brings Exclusivity To Niche Market
How do you make a niche market car with low sales figures more attractive to buyers? By releasing a limited-edition, of course. Enter Smart, Mercedes-Benz’s microcar devision, and its plans to follow its summer-themed Smart ForTwo Sharpred Special Edition with a winter-themed special edition...
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2012 Nissan Leaf Limo Stretches Electric Car Reality (Video!)
Last year we told you about a Missouri coachbuilder with the grand plan: turn a humble 2012 Nissan Leaf into a stretch limousine. Now, some ten months after we first brought you the story, we can bring you evidence that the Imperial Coach Builders of Springfield, MO made good its promise with what...
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Think The 2012 Nissan Leaf Is Too Expensive? Australians Pay $52K
One of the most frequent criticisms we hear of electric and plug-in hybrid cars is that they’re just too expensive. Take the 2012 Nissan Leaf, for example. Before government and state incentives, a base-level Leaf SV will set you back $35,200. Live in the right area however, and incentives...
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Weekend Test-Drive: Can Tiny Renault Twizy Be A Real Car?
When we first heard that French automaker Renault was producing a tiny, two-seat electric car with a top speed of 52mph called the Twizy, we have to admit to laughing. A lot. But after driving a production Renault Twizy in Ibiza earlier this year, our impression of the plucky go-kart changed. Could...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield