Hydraulic hybrid technology is already used in commercial trucks that travel at lower speeds and experience lots of starts and stops. Now, the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group plans to offer hydraulic hybrid cars in 2016, a first. It calls it technology ‘Hybrid Air’ because it uses compressed air for energy storage rather than the nitrogen […]
Smartphones are becoming an ever more integral part of motoring, especially for those driving plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Virtually every PEV manufacturer has developed apps for mobile devices allowing remote access for monitoring charge status, initiating charging, pre-heating and pre-cooling interiors, locating charging stations, and much more. General Motors is basing its remote PEV access […]
For most Americans, our transportation choices are limited to the fuels offered at the local gas station. For generations, regular gas stations served our needs pretty well, but America’s transportation needs are changing. Every day we learn about new choices in alternative fuel vehicles, advancements in vehicle efficiency, and new, cleaner types of fuel, so […]
Available next month in California and Oregon, the new 2014 Spark EV 1LT can now be leased for as low as $199 per month for 36 months. Requiring a nominal $999 due at lease signing, which includes a security deposit but is exclusive of tax, title, and registration, now makes this small Chevy EV an […]
A variant of the highly functional and efficient NV200 cargo van will be sourced by GM as a Chevy product offering for the 2015 model year. This is in response to the need for a small van in the Chevy lineup to fill increasing fleet needs in that segment. The current Nissan vehicle’s cost of […]
Honda’s efforts in creating a showcase Honda Smart Home US goes beyond the expected attributes of zero-carbon home life. It includes, as one might expect, a mobility component that adds electric vehicle ownership as part of the mix. Honda is building its zero-carbon home on the campus of U.C Davis, located near California’s capital of […]
Hybrids account for 16 percent of overall Toyota/Lexus sales globally and locally, with total industry hybrid sales about 3 percent of the U.S. new car market.
Rental cars are a great way to take in the sights and sounds of Hawaii. Here’s an idea if you only need a ride for a short adventure that’s too far to walk, but doesn’t warrant a full-day car rental.
BMW is planning to offer the i series of electric, plug-in hybrid, and range-extended electric vehicles beginning in late 2013. This entirely new model line will offer BMW’s usual focus on premium engineering and style, but critically, it will also feature a consistent focus on eco sustainability and urban living. BMW is serious enough about […]
BMW will be debuting its Concept Active Tourer plug-in hybrid concept and clean diesel 328d model at the upcoming 2013 New York International Auto Show. Featuring a three-cylinder gasoline engine and electric motor, the Concept Active Tourer is expected to achieve up to 95 mpg. It features a composite glass roof using suspended particle device technology […]
Automotive supplier Visteon is among many companies that clearly understand the importance of advanced electronics in future automobiles. The firm recently illustrated this with its e-Bee concept car that envisions mobility in the year 2020. The eBee concept aims to explore new and alternative ways of using a vehicle from private ownership to car sharing […]
Given the many fuel-efficient models on the market today, you’d think that the auto industry is clearly heading in the right direction. Now, a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency verifies this, quantifying the fuel and CO2 emissions savings achieved by this sustained effort, reversing a slight downward trend in 2011. EPA’s annual ‘Light-Duty […]
The 2014 Infiniti QX60 premium crossover lineup will include a new gasoline-electric hybrid variant, giving this automaker three advanced ‘Direct Response Hybrid’ models in its U.S. lineup. Slated for its U.S. unveiling at the New York International Auto Show, the new hybrid offering will join Infiniti’s Q70 Hybrid – currently badged as the M Hybrid […]
Driving on clean-burning natural gas is an option with the Honda Civic GX, an example of Honda's leadership with CNG vehicles.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, or G-wagen – short for Geländewagen – has been around since 1979. It looks like Mercedes-Benz could be offering this iconic, off-road capable SUV for many more years. Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Carlsbad, California created the Ener-G-Force concept shown at the 2012 L.A. Auto Show, a civilian version of the Mercedes-Benz […]
VW has unveiled its Golf GTD at the Geneva Motor Show, a sporty and fuel-sipping model offering a welcome 56 combined city/highway mpg. It does this with a new 184 hp four-cylinder TDI engine, a turbocharged and direct-injected powerplant that meets the challenging EU-6 emissions standard. The 56 mpg figure is achieved with Golf GTDs equipped […]
By mid-2013, Mazda will be offering a diesel engine sedan in the U.S. market, the first diesel car from an Asian manufacturer here in recent times. The Mazda 2.2-liter SkyACTIVE-D diesel engine will be available in the all-new 2014 Mazda6 along with a 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine, the latter coming first. Both engines can be […]
How to extend the range of battery electric vehicles? A start-up company in Stuttgart, Germany has developed an answer in the form of the ‘ebuggy,’ a trailer carrying a lithium-ion battery designed to be towed behind an EV. The ebuggy is viewed as an ‘on-demand’ solution since an EV would drive on urban trips without […]