Antony Ingram, Contributing Writer
Articles
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It isn't easy to impress Consumer Reports.
Fisker Automotive knows this better than most, after its Karma range-extended sedan was savaged by the magazine earlier this year.
In contrast, the 2012...
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Audi To Launch Four TDI Diesel Models At LA Auto ShowAudi has been promising more diesel models in its U.S. lineup for a while now, and it fulfils that promise at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Joining the existing Q7 TDI, which gets an update, Audi will introduce diesel versions of the A8, A7, A6 and Q5. The company claims each model will deliver...
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2013 Nissan Leaf Electric Car Revealed In Japanese TrimNissan has revealed detailed specifications of the Japanese-market 2013 Leaf. The updated car, which is set to go on sale in the U.S. early next year, features a host of minor upgrades. The changes are aimed at attracting a few more customers than the current 43,000 who have taken the plunge, since...
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2013 Los Angeles Auto Show: Green Car PreviewWith the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show just around the corner, the world's carmakers are gearing up to show off the latest and greatest green vehicles. And in common with several recent motor shows, L.A. will have some significant launches and unveilings, whether you're interested in regular efficient...
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Will San Diego Go Back To The Future With New 'Electriquettes'?Wicker might not be your first choice of construction material when designing a vehicle, but the world was a very different place in 1915. If you lived in San Diego at the time, the sight of an Electriquette silently whirring past may have been quite familar. The wicker-bodied electric vehicles...
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2013 Honda CR-Z Hybrid Coupe: More Power, New Battery, Updated StylePoor Honda. It creates the CR-Z, theoretically the perfect mix of fun and fuel efficiency, but ends up alienating both gearheads and green buyers by building something that struggles to satisfy either party. The 2013 Honda CR-Z should fix some of the car's issues, by improving both performance and...
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Since its launch in 1996, the Toyota RAV4 has always been a greener option for those wanting all-wheel drive.
Pre-dating the modern trend for downsizing, its compact body and 2.0-liter engine gave it...
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Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid: Plug-In Porsche Due 2014?Porsche already offers a hybrid variant of its sports SUV, the Cayenne, but it's more about stemming the car's massive thirst than it is a truly green vehicle. A plug-in hybrid version coinciding with a mid-cycle update around 2014 could offer a much more gas-sipping option, however. According to...
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2014 Fiat 500e First Photos: Los Angeles Auto Show PreviewFiat has released the first few images of its 500e, the electric version of the 500 city car. The vivid orange machine is set to debut at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, which starts later this month. The car will ditch the regular 500's 1.4-liter gasoline engine for a battery-electric drivetrain...
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Scientists Convert Algae To Crude Oil In 60 SecondsCrude oil, from which all fossil fuels are made, is a dwindling resource. There will come a point, some time in the future, where the expense of extracting it from deep under the ground becomes too great for the return on investment. While one solution is to wean ourselves off fossil fuels...
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Saab 9-3 Convertible May Return As An Electric Car, Hints ConsortiumThe Swedish-Chinese consortium currently controlling Saab could be set to resurrect the firm's 9-3 Convertible model as an electric car. In an effort to get the defunct carmaker back on its feet, the National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS) consortium wants to re-introduce several old models to...
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Chrysler, Toyota Now United In Shunning Mexican Fuel StandardsWhile automakers selling cars in North America have been happy to accept the 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, the same can't be said for similar plans in Mexico. Last month we described how Toyota was refusing to support the new standards--and now Chrysler has joined the Japanese...
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For some, the image of a classic Citroën DS passing along the Champs-Élysées couldn't be much more French if a man in a stripy top and beret walked past swinging a chain of onions.
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Visteon Fills Nissan Leaf With 2020 Tech: Meet The e-BeeIt isn't mentioned anywhere in the press release, but it isn't hard to tell what Visteon's latest technology concept car is based on--the Nissan Leaf electric car. However, the electric drivetrain is only one part of the Visteon e-Bee concept. Instead, it's designed to showcase technology we could...
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Toyota Recalls Prius, Corolla Models For Steering IssueToyota has announced the recall of 2.8 million vehicles worldwide to correct a steering fault found on some models. 670,000 Toyota Prius and Corolla models in the U.S. may suffer from an issue in the steering column. The faulty component may cause a knocking or rattling from the steering column...
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BMW Shows Off i3, i8 In New York On 'Born Electric' TourNot only is BMW talking about its commitment in its plug-in car plans, it's putting that confidence on display, too. The BMW i 'Born Electric' world tour has just kicked off in New York City, putting the company's electric and plug-in products on display for all to see. Running for a week in...
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Five Engines That Prove Internal Combustion Isn't Dead YetLike it or not, the majority of the world's vehicles are still powered by internal combustion engines, rather than batteries, hydrogen and other alternatives. The good news is that carmakers are still finding ways to improve the good old reciprocating piston engine. Even in the last few years...
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Stretch Nissan Leaf Electric Limo For Sale On eBay: What Would You Pay?Want a Nissan Leaf but disappointed that you can't take more of your friends along for the ride? Or don't have space for champagne flutes? The Nissan Leaf limo for sale on eBay could be just the thing to meet your needs. If you think the concept of a Nissan Leaf electric limo sounds familiar, then...
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Ford has finally unveiled what could offer the best mix of practicality and economy on the market--the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon.
With seven seats and estimated highway mileage of 30 mpg, the...
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Using A Hybrid For Emergency Power: Tough ChoiceIn the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, there are still thousands without power--and even shelter--along the Northeast coast. It makes most of our issues look rather trivial, but admidst the chaos we've seen examples of great solidarity and ingenuity from those affected. The power losses have also...
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BMW Exec Reaffirms Commitment To Plug-In CarsAutomakers don't give up profits easily. So when one of the world's most profitable, BMW, commits to building a range of electric vehicles, they have to be taken seriously. BMW Chairman Dr. Norbert Reithofer has reaffirmed this commitment during a recent teleconference. "We consider electric...
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2013 Honda Civic: Revised Model Debuts At L.A. Auto ShowHonda has unveiled its new 2013 Civic Sedan, which is set to debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. A new Civic may not be exciting, but as one of Honda's top-selling models it's certainly important, and one of the better-known gas-sippers on the market. Honda has revised the 2013...
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Car Sharing: The Job For Which Electric Cars Are Already PerfectWhat would make electric cars perfect for you? Maybe it'd take a 300-mile range, or a sub-$15,000 price tag, or the ability to charge from empty in five minutes. But you could argue that current electric cars are already perfect--for car sharing schemes. City life Car sharing is becoming...
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A123 Bankruptcy Auction Set For December 6th By CourtAiling battery firm A123 Systems, which supplies batteries to Fisker, BMW and GM among others, could soon have a new owner after Delaware courts have imposed a deadline for bids. Two companies vying for A123 and its assets are auto-parts maker Johnson Controls, and Chinese auto-parts maker Wanxiang...
Antony Ingram