It’s the beginning of awards season in Hollywood as I write this and we are in the thick of making plans for our annual Pre-Oscar party. It’s been almost 10 years since we launched the Global Green USA ‘Red Carpet, Green Cars’ campaign to help make hybrid and fuel-efficient cars fun and sexy. Once again, […]
General Motor has debuted its first all-electric car since the sporty EV1 that was sold for a time in the 1990s. The Chevrolet Spark EV is basically a Korean-built, five-door Spark subcompact sedan converted into an electric vehicle. However, the drive unit and motor will be assembled at GM’s White Marsh, Maryland manufacturing facility using […]
Lexus has unveiled its all-new, next-generation Lexus IS compact sport sedan. The new IS features IS 250, IS 350, and IS 300h choices, with the latter offering powerful and efficient Lexus Hybrid Drive. The F SPORT version shown is available across the board. Stylishly aggressive, the new IS sedan features a longer wheelbase and increased […]
The Dept. of Energy is supporting twenty new projects that aim to develop the infrastructure, training, and regional planning needed to support demand for cars and trucks that run on natural gas, electricity, and propane. Cumulatively, the Energy Department is investing about $11 million in these projects. Through DOE’s Clean Cities initiative, the projects deal […]
I am an electric car fan, always have been since I drove my first electric car – the experimental Sears XDH-1 – back in the mid-1970s.
I recently climbed out from behind the wheel of a 2013 Lexus GS450h. Fully loaded, this very luxurious hybrid will easily top $70,000 MSRP. And that’s not the most expensive hybrid offered by Toyota’s luxury brand. The LS600h L starts at $119,910. Back to the GS450h: It’s hard not to be impressed with the car’s […]
E15 ethanol remains the most tested fuel ever approved by EPA and is perfectly safe and effective for approved engines.
Ford’s super-efficient 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine will make its first appearance on our shores next year in the new 2014 Ford Fiesta. It’s expected to be the smallest engine in its class and also achieve the best fuel economy of any non-hybrid car sold in America. The award-winning engine is already making waves in Europe, where […]
Computer and communication technologies are proving important in helping motorists drive more intelligently and efficiently. These high-tech strategies are increasingly being used to complement the fuel economy and emissions reductions brought by improved powerplants and vehicle electrification. On the way to the federally mandated fleet fuel economy average of 54.5 mpg, all strategies and efficiency […]
Mitsubishi’s recently-unveiled Outlander plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a first for this automaker, combining mainstream sport-utility appeal with advanced, plug-in hybrid efficiency. The Outlander PHEV promises drivers the flexibility of an affordable and spacious sport utility that can run in quiet, zero-emission electric mode for commuting, then turn around and handle weekend getaways for […]
Honda has developed a new lightweight and compact one-motor hybrid system that’s optimized for small vehicles. The Sport Hybrid Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive system is the latest addition to Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology suite of next-generation powertrain technologies that aims at both high fuel efficiency and driving performance. This new system joins the two-motor Sport […]
Chevy’s newest subcompact, the Chevy Spark, is the smallest Chevy yet. This mini machine comfortably fits four average sized humans in ways better than you’d expect, even though it’s one of the smallest four-door vehicles you can purchase today. Powered by a 1.2-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine and choice of a standard five-speed manual or optional […]
When Toyota decided to offer an all-electric production version of its RAV 4, Tesla became a strategic development partner.
It’s a given that it will take more than just better powerplants to reach the 54.5 mpg federal fuel economy standard set for coming years. To this end, automakers are exploring every part of an automobile for ways to eke out greater efficiencies. An interesting new exploration is taking place at General Motors, which is […]
BMW's Concept Active Tourer, a through-the-road plug-in hybrid, uses a front-mounted engine to drive the front wheels and an electric motor to drive the rear, with no mechanical connection between the two. In most hybrids the output of the engine and motor are combined. The Concept Active Tourer is the first additional application of the […]
The opportunity to drive an array of electric cars back in the 1990s was enlightening on many levels, bringing home the realization that for many these cars were less than purposeful daily drivers. From my perspective, they were fun but also impractical for my longer driving needs. And as for their performance, well…good for electric […]
Small cars can be cool. That seems to be a new mantra in the auto industry as it seeks to market downsized and lighter cars that are not only more fuel efficient, but also snappy and fun to drive. Nissan has taken this to heart with its high-profile LEAF electric car as well, showing that […]
Stop-start systems are a virtually universal feature of hybrid electric vehicles all over the world. They are an integral part of hybrid powertrain strategies because they work well in increasing a car’s fuel efficiency in urban driving that often involves stop-and-go traffic, when a car is standing still and running at idle. Now stop-start features […]