The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, a model already leading the pickup pack in fuel efficiency, just keeps getting better. The pickup’s new HFE (High Fuel Efficiency) version now bumps up the clean diesel model’s highway fuel economy by another mile per gallon, delivering the highest fuel economy of all current full-size pickups. Like the standard EcoDiesel […]
Just about every major automaker is developing automated vehicle technology. Experts predict we’ll see the first highly automated production vehicles by 2020 with fully automated cars expected by 2025. Automation will come incrementally with more of these technologies becoming available with each new model year. Already, vehicles with early forms of self-driving technology are in […]
It’s no mystery that automotive buying trends are influenced by many factors, especially the cost of gas. Sales of efficient vehicles are waning again.
The Consumer Electronics Show is a big deal in the consumer electronics industry. With the expanding integration of advanced electronics into cars it has become a high-profile venue for auto manufacturers as well, with automaker CEOs giving keynote addresses and auto press conferences growing in volume. Most of these involve connectivity, autonomous driving, and other […]
If plug-in hybrids aren’t on your radar, they should be. This next-generation cousin of the gas-electric hybrid is a model of efficiency.
The road to higher efficiency is an appealing one these days and driving a small car is one way to get there. While it’s true that not everyone is in the market for a small car, the appeal grows if small means efficient and highly functional but not constrained or boring. This is the theme […]
It isn’t all about efficient powertrains. Lightweighting vehicles is having a positive effect on increasing fuel efficiency.
It may be more straightforward to add hydrogen fueling stations than previously thought. One of the many challenges faced by a developing hydrogen fueling infrastructure is where to site new stations. Thus, the thought: What if hydrogen fueling could be added to existing gas stations at a more affordable cost? A recent study by Sandia […]
Personally experiencing the modern ‘green’ car’s fascinating evolution brings important perspective on how we got here and where we’re going.
Here’s a thought: What if you never had to wash your car? Just think of the time and money that would no longer need to be devoted to this task, let alone the water saved in an increasingly water-starved world. That’s the concept being forwarded by Nissan through an electric LEAF sporting a special superhydrophobic […]
Electric cars are hot. Solar energy is cool. Combine the two and you have a formula for true zero-emission motoring. The truth is, electric vehicles will not be truly fossil-fuel-free until their batteries are charged using only renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, rather than electricity generated by coal- or gas-fired power plants. […]
The San Antonio Auto & Truck Show has a big interest in trucks. After all, we’re talking Texas. Now ‘green’ is gaining even more emphasis at the show with Green Car Journal’s inaugural Green Truck of the Year™ award. Green Car Journal has presented its coveted Green Car of the Year® award in Los Angeles […]
Toyota has unveiled its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that will be available for sale to California customers in summer 2015. The Toyota FCV four-door sedan is forward-looking with its blending of traditional sleek styling and aggressive futuristic exterior touches. This is quite a departure from the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell now on sale in California […]
Mitsubishi has again shown its aptitude for taking on traditional race cars at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado. Its electric-powered MiEV Evolution III prototype racecars finished first and second in the Electric Vehicle division, with its lead car finishing just 2.4 seconds behind the overall 2014 Pikes Peak race winner, a gasoline-powered […]
Illuminating the road ahead is a crucial element in driving. It’s also one that has long benefitted from technological innovation. To this end, Audi celebrates the evolution of automotive lighting with its Sport quattro laserlight concept car. The high performance, two-door, Plasma Red coupe harkens back to the iconic 1983 Sport quattro even as it’s […]
Do extended range electric cars and plug-in hybrids really save energy and make an environmental difference like all-electric vehicles? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’ if enough zero-emission miles are driven. To that end, the latest news from Chevrolet is encouraging: Since Chevy’s Volt extended range electric was introduced in 2010, Volt owners have reportedly […]
Building more efficient, environmentally friendly cars involves more than just advanced powertrains. Lightweighting future vehicles is also key.
To bolster the market, battery electric cars will require continuing federal and state incentives that combined typically total $10,000 or more.