Nissan’s one-of-a-kind Frontier Diesel Runner made its first appearance at the Chicago Auto show, illustrating this automaker’s interest in the increasingly important clean diesel pickup market. Powered by a 2.8-liter Cummins turbo diesel with nearly 200 horsepower and, more importantly, some 350 lb-ft torque, the pickup features the performance and functionality required of today’s […]
While drivers in many other countries can choose from dozens of passenger car models operating on compressed natural gas (CNG), that’s not the case here. We have one: Honda’s Civic Natural Gas. That changes with the coming 2015 Chevrolet Impala Bi-Fuel Sedan. Like the Civic, the alternative fuel Impala comes straight from the manufacturer – […]
Can cost-efficient carbon fiber be created from renewable, non-food-based feedstocks like agricultural residues and woody biomass? The Department of Energy believes so and is now putting up $12 million in funding to help make it happen. The agency says that carbon fiber created from biomass offers greater environmental benefits than traditional carbon fiber produced from […]
Saleen Automotive’s offerings are traditionally gasoline-driven and they are fast. The company is well-known in automotive circles for its stylish and performance-oriented versions of noted sports cars like Ford Mustangs, Chevy Camaros, and Dodge Challengers. Now Saleen is turning attention to high-performance in the electrified world with a new effort involving Tesla’s Model S. Company […]
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) considers the 2014 Smart ForTwo Electric the ‘greenest’ car in the U.S. market. The car topped the organization’s Greenercars.org 2014 Environmental Scores list with a 59 out of 100 score, the highest ever for the program. Also on the ‘greenest’ list, in descending order: the Toyota Prius […]
Opportunity charging can be a pretty big deal to electric car owners. Topping off at public charging stations, or for that matter at chargers available at the workplace, can considerably extend electric driving range. This can help relieve range anxiety or simply deliver the additional battery power needed for longer drives. But this strategy depends […]
Ford unveiled its automated Ford Fusion Hybrid research vehicle last month, a technology-packed vehicle intended to help pave the way toward autonomous driving. Now Ford is expanding its research efforts with the high-tech Fusion through new collaborations with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. This work will support Ford’s Blueprint for Mobility, which envisions […]
VW’s e-Golf is coming to U.S. highways at the end of this year and will be available in select states. Powered by a 115 horsepower permanent magnet AC electric motor developing 199 lb-ft torque, the e-Golf is said to accelerate from 0-62 mpg (0-100 km/h) in about 10.4 seconds and offer an electronically limited 87 […]
The 2014 Audi A8 L TDI is a joy to drive, as one would expect in a vehicle offering just about everything one could want in a car. Audi’s flagship A8 L TDI clean diesel sedan provides superb style, a great driving experience, creature comforts galore, and did we mention great fuel economy? This aluminum-bodied […]
Volkswagen's very impressive XL1 is the poster child for mpg to the max. We’ve been following this car’s development program for years now, hearing that it was a production-intent program but fairly skeptical that a vehicle with such a stratospheric fuel efficiency target could ever be built, at least beyond the prototype stage Yet, here we […]
Ford’s 3.7-liter V-6 equipped-150 pickup is now available with a factory-installed, gaseous-fuel prep package, making Ford the only manufacturer offering a CNG/LPG-capable half-ton pickup. The $315 engine prep package includes hardened valves, valve seats, pistons, and rings so it can operate on either natural gas or gasoline through separate fuel systems. The light-duty Ford CNG […]
The all-new NSX hybrid supercar, to be motivated by an advanced powertrain combining torque vectoring all-wheel drive with hybrid efficiency, was recently shown in prototype form by Acura. The prototype maintains the low and wide stance of the original NSX with the dynamic and alluring proportions of the NSX Concept that debuted in 2012. The […]
We are all enamored by the advanced technologies at work in vehicles today. And why wouldn’t we be? The incredibly efficient cars we have today, and the even more efficient models coming in the years ahead, are testament to a process that combines ingenuity, market competitiveness, and government mandate in bringing ever more efficient vehicles […]
Batteries remain the electric car’s most pervasive challenge. After decades of research and development plus billions of dollars of investment, an energy-dense and affordable electric car battery remains elusive. Automakers are acutely aware of this as high battery costs can mean significant losses on every unit sold. Ford is aiming to meet the challenge head-on […]
The long-awaited 2014 Cadillac ELR will emerge early in 2014 at a cost of $75,995, appropriate for high-end luxury cars but no doubt a bit steep for many looking forward to a step up from Chevy’s Volt. Still, there’s a lot here to justify the cost. Featuring a dramatic design and luxury touches throughout, this […]
How is biodiesel doing these days? Apparently pretty well. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that this past May, biodiesel production reached a record level of 111 million gallons, with this total coming from 116 active biodiesel plants with total operating capacity of 2.2 billion gallons per year. Some 449 million gallons was produced […]
Teaming up can be a good thing, especially when the goal at hand involves significant and disruptive change. That’s what is involved in bringing transportation into an envisioned hydrogen age, a goal for normally petroleum-focused automakers that are working hard toward this zero-emission future. Many automakers have had dynamic hydrogen vehicle development programs in motion […]
Challenges with advanced batteries have cropped up with automakers, aircraft manufacturers, and laptop companies alike in recent years. One of the most notable has been thermal runaway issues with lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries, the most advanced battery technology now in widespread use in transportation and consumer electronics. While appropriate engineering fixes have been made to move […]