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Mercedes-Benz Preparing Baby SLS With Hybrid V6 Powertrain
Mercedes-Benz‘ awesome SLS supercar isn’t even out yet, but the company is already getting a smaller variant ready, with a more modest powertrain that its big brother. The new car will reportedly use a 3.5L V6 with, surprise surprise, a hybrid system. Rather than being a typical “mild hybrid”, the baby SLS will use two…
OnStar, Google Tie Up Looking More Likely; Could See Use In Volt EV
GM and Google are reportedly working on a deal that would see the integration of Google’s Android mobile phone operating system and GM’s Onstar telematics system. Potentially scenarios being discussed involve Android phone users being able to use OnStar features outside of their car, while GM vehicle owners can use Android to keep track of…
Half of MINI E Lessees Sign on for a Second Year
Roughly half of those who took part in the MINI E’s lease program in North American have opted to sign on for a second year. As the first electric MINI, the MINI E was built as a test platform for future electric car models from MINI and parent company BMW. MINI’s pilot project included leases…
Honda Tries Novel Approach With CR-Z, Targeting Older Enthusiasts
Car companies are eternally focused on capturing the all important “youth-market”, some even going as far as to create “youth brands”, like Toyota and their Scion line-up. Honda appears to be taking the opposite track with the launch of their new CR-Z hybrid sports car, hoping to take advantage of the demographic that was in…
Hertz To Add Nissan Leaf To Fleet In Early 2011
Starting in 2011, Hertz will add the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle to its fleet, after the car is released to the general public in late 2010. “We expect to have the car available in select American cities next year,” Hertz Spokeswoman Paula Rivera told the New York Times. “We’re in the process of finalizing the…
Hawaii To Be Among First Market For Nissan Leaf
Hawaii is set to be one of the first markets during the Nissan Leaf’s initial rollout, and the aloha state is a great candidate for Nissan‘s new Leaf EV. All the gasoline and petroleum products have to be imported, which leads to some of the nations highest gas prices. On the other hand, the warm…
Daimler CEO: China Must Adopt EVs, Gas And Diesel Cars Not Feasible For Their Market
In a shockingly forthright appraisal of the Chinese auto market, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche laid out the harsh reality for the Chinese auto market, stating that petroleum-powered vehicles are not sustainable due to the massive demand, and that electric vehicles are imperative. Speaking at an event in Beijing, Zetsche remarked “If you look at the…
Lexus HS250h Not Meeting Sales Targets
Lexus‘ HS250h hybrid sedan is having trouble meeting sales targets, due to the strength of the Prius as well as demand for the HS250h in Japan. Lexus is on track to sell about 14,000 HS250h hybrids this year, well below the projections of 20-22,000. So far just 4529 HS250h’s have been sold. In an interview…
California Journalist Discovers Electric Car Inconvenience in Mitsubishi iMiEV
Mitsubishi is testing a fleet of iMiEV electric cars in California and one of the chosen drivers is Southern California Public Radio KPCC’s Shirley Jahad – who’s diary entries do not paint a glowing portrait of the tiny EV. Jahad’s latest entry in her “EV Diaries,” series includes a day spent behind the wheel on…
Aptera Suffers Handling Issues at X-Prize Test Track
For many, the Aptera 2e is a glimpse into the future of cars, and a frontrunner for the Automotive X-Prize. For those who don’t know, Progressive Insurance sponsors the $10 Million X-Prize, which will be awarded to the first company to produce a near-production vehicle that can achieve 100 miles per gallon. At Michigan International…
All-Electric Fiat 500 EV by Atomik Cars
What’s faster, greener, has more traction, and cheaper to run than a “normal” Fiat 500 Abarth? Well, the title of this post and photo have given away the answer. What does Atomik Cars do for you that Fiat doesn’t? First, they install some lithium ion batteries into the cuter-than-Hello Kitty Fiat 500. Then they install…
Volkswagen Unveils Battery Powered Golfs
Volkswagen unveiled an electric Golf prototype that will preview the initial run of 500 Golfs slated for consumer testing starting next year. The e-Golf is powered by a 114 horsepower electric motor producing 199 lb-ft of torque. Together with a one-speed transmission, the car should hit 60 mph in just under 12 seconds and get…
Chinese Automaker BYD To Set Up Shop In Los Angeles
Chinese electric car maker BYD announced plans to establish a headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles, in a joint statement released with the Mayor of Los Angeles, and the Governor of California. “By the end of next year, the plan is to offer several models,” BYD Senior Vice President Stella Li told reporters in Los Angeles….
Volkswagen Golf Blue-E-Motion Concept Debuts, With 2013 Launch Date
Volkswagen has now officially announced the Golf blue-e-motion electric car will launch in 2013, preceded by the Up blue-e-motion city car and followed by an electric Jetta. All three cars are set to debut in 2013. The concept car is powered by a lithium-ion battery and electric motor, making 113-hp and 199 ft-lbs of torque,…
Volkswagen Golf, Jetta and Passat Hybrid Models Coming, Starting in 2012
Volkswagen will produce hybrid versions of the Golf, Jetta and Passat, starting in 2012. In a press release dedicated to the launch of the new Golf blue-e-motion electric car, Volkswagen aims to put the focus on electric cars, which it sees as the future of transportation. However, while German automakers like VW are focused on…
Report: Tesla To Expand Lineup With Sedan, Crossover
Tesla Motors is set to expand its lineup with the previously announced Model S sedan, as well as an all-new crossover. First up is the Model S sedan, due in 2012. It is expected to retail for $50,000, about half the cost of the Tesla Roadster sports car. By 2014, Tesla will introduce a replacement…
Report: Nissan Predicting Shortage of Leaf Electric Vehicle
Mark this one under “you don’t say.” With a total of 11,000 pre-orders for its Leaf electric car, Nissan is predicting that demand for the Leaf will outstrip supply. Those 11,000 orders are for the U.S. and Japan only, and pre-orders for Canada and Europe haven’t even begun. It’s not much of a stretch to…
Report: Volkswagen Moves e-Golf Electric Car Launch Forward
Volkswagen has made a slight change to its electric vehicle production plans, moving up the launch of the Golf EV. Initially VW had planned to introduce the e-Up! (above) first, but according to new reports the German automaker has decided that the e-Golf will be first, citing the car’s popularity and importance in the VW…
Porsche Has 900 Interested In Buying 918 Spyder, Production Could Be Close
Porsche‘s 918 Spyder hybrid supercar may be close to production after the automaker revealed it had approximately 900 people who are interested in buying it. Wolfgang Duerheimer, development chief for Porsche, said that 1,000 interested parties were needed before Porsche could green-light the eco-friendly sports car, which uses a 500 horsepower V8 and an electric…
Gordon Murray’s T25 City Car Spied In England
Gordon Murray, the engineering genius who brought the world the McLaren F1 is hard at work on his new city car project, which was spotted undergoing testing in England. Unlike the million-dollar F1, Murray’s new T25 city car is designed to be simple, urban transportation that will radically transform the way cars are designed and…
Nissan Collects 6,635 Pre-Orders In 72 Hours For Leaf Electric Car
In a little under 72 hours, Nissan has collected 6,635 pre-orders for its new Leaf electric vehicle, a rate of about 100 per hour. Potential buyers were asked to place a refundable $99 dollar deposit to secure a slot on the waiting list, but there was no guarantee that they would be one of the first to…
Cadillac Converj Rises From The Dead at Beijing Auto Show
Cadillac‘s Converj electric car, reported to be dead, has made an appearance at his year’s Beijing Auto Show, sparking speculation that the opulent alternative fuel vehicle is still alive and kicking. The Converj, which mates the Chevrolet Volt’s electric powertrain with the features and amenities of a Cadillac, can travel about 40 miles on electric…
Report: BMW Developing Hybrid Hydrogen Technology for MINI, Future Front-Drive BMWs
BMW is developing a complex powertrain that blends fuel cell and hybrid technology, allowing a car be carbon neutral in urban traffic. The system works by having a conventional gasoline engine powering the front wheels, while a small fuel cell sends power via capacitors in the transmission tunnel to an electric motor positioned at the rear axle….
Report: BMW Confirms Megacity Electric Car Will Launch in 2013
The Ultimate Driving Machine is set to introduce the ultimate commuter vehicle, as BMW announced Wednesday that its new Megacity electric car will launch in 2013. BMW’s Megacity is set to be a revolutionary design, featuring a carbon monocoque chassis (similar to the McLaren F1 supercar), a rear-engine layout and aerodynamic exterior styling with carbon…
