plug-in hybrid
EPA vs CAFE: The Two Sides of Fuel Economy Numbers
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Fuel economy numbers are more important now than ever before, as gas prices continue to rise in North America. Recently Dodge came under criticism for announcing its upcoming Dart compact will get 40 mpg combined. An impressively high number, even a class-leading car like the Hyundai Elantra, which gets 40 mpg highway, only achieves…
Chrysler Town & Country Plug-In Hybrid Specs Revealed
Last week, Chrysler announced delivery of four plug-in hybrid Town & Country minivans to the Auburn Hills city of Michigan as the initial part of an extensive two-year hybrid development project worth $25.8 million. Today, company delivered eight more units to the Duke Energy utility company as part of the two-year project. As the only minivan to boast a…
Survey: Over 60 Percent of Hybrid Buyers Don’t Buy Another One
Despite the commitment of many automakers to go green, consumers do not share the sentiment. According to a Polk study released today, almost two-thirds of U.S. hybrid buyers do not return to the market for another hybrid. The only exception in the survey is from the best-selling Toyota Prius, receiving a repurchase rate of 41…
Chevy Volt Production Reinstated A Week Ahead Of Schedule
The Chevrolet Volt has had its fair share of teething problems. Soon after its birth, there were reports of some vehicles spontaneously combusting. This obviously had an effect on the cars reputation, and sales fell. To save money and rid themselves of backed up inventory, General Motors decided to halt production of the Volt at…
BMW i8 Spyder Concept Revealed in Video
Over the weekend BMW unveiled their i8 Spyder Concept. Today we have an additional video, showing the drop-top concept in action. For those not in the know, the i8 is BMW’s most advanced car yet. It features a 170-hp electric motor which powers the front wheels. Powering the rear wheels is a 1.5 liter, three…
Pininfarina Cambiano Concept May Become Reality
Along the same vein as the Fisker Karma, the plug-in hybrid Pininfarina Cambiano concept may receive the “go-ahead” for low-volume production. According to Pininfarina CEO Sergio Angori, “We are evaluating the potential for companies and private buyers interested in a high-performance, low-emission luxury model such as the Cambiano.” The Pininfarina Cambiano concept was first unveiled at…
Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Approved for California Clean Vehicle Rebate
Toyota confirmed today that the 2012 Prius Plug-In has been approved for the State of California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP). The CVRP is a consumer incentive made available in addition to the $2,500 Federal Tax credit for qualified vehicles. The 2012 Prius Plug-In has started to arrive at dealerships, and will also be eligible…
Prius Plug-in Hybrid Gets Improved 95 MPGe Rating
Toyota is updating its figures for the Prius Plug-in Hybrid model ahead of the car’s launch, with improved numbers for both the MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) rating and the remaining hybrid drive mpg rating. Previously Toyota had claimed the plug-in Prius would achieve 87 mpge using the electric mode and a 49 mpg once…
Volkswagen Plug-In Hybrid Slated For U.S. Market
The U.S. could have a plug-in hybrid from Volkswagen in the relatively near future. The company already has a hybrid Jetta on the way for the 2013 model year, but this version of the car would take electrical implementation to the next level. We’ve known about the possibility of a plug-in hybrid for quite some…
Toyota NS4 Plug-In Hybrid Teased [Video]: Detroit Auto Show Preview
A couple weeks back, we saw the first teaser of Toyota‘s upcoming NS4 Concept Plug-in Hybrid vehicle that is set to debut at the upcoming 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Now that the show is just around the corner, Toyota has shared a video about its new advanced plug-in hybrid. Little is known about the NS4…
Mitsubishi to Launch Eight Electric Vehicles by 2016, Including a Light Truck
Mitsubishi has achieved decent amounts of success with the i-MiEV electric car in its home land, and also in Europe, where this model is also sold badged as a Peugeot iOn. Next month, the i-MiEV will be going on sale in America (called simply the “i” in our market), which will no doubt increase sales…
Government To Remove Tax Deduction For Vehicle Charging Stations In 2012
The struggles of the electric car are well documented, and it appears that the struggle is not going away anytime soon. According to the latest news, the Federal Government will pull its funding to ease the cost of buying an electric vehicle charger. Up until now, the Fed’s have been discounting these units as an…
Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid Revealed
Volvo says it plans to build just 1000 V6 Plug-in Hybrids for 2012, all will be aimed exclusively at European customers and all of them will be finished in just one exterior color; Electric Silver.
Canadians Buying More Chevrolet Volts Than Nissan Leafs
In the 1960’s there was the muscle-car wars, and in the 1980’s it was all about who can sell the most minivans. Now its time for the green-car wars, to see who can sell the most plug-in hybrid or fully electric cars. The two biggest rivals at the moment are the Nissan Leaf and the…
GM Working On A Low-Cost Fix For Volt Battery
The Chevrolet Volt was a big part of the restructuring deal General Motors had with the Obama Administration, when it applied for bail-out money. Now that the vehicle is here, it is not without its problems. Sales of this plug-in hybrid have not been great, and these days, everyone is talking about the recent crash-related…
Mitsubishi Evolution May Become A Plug-In Hybrid
For nearly two decades, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (more commonly known as just the ‘Evo’) has been the benchmark sports sedan around the world. It might have arrived a bit late in the American market, only going on sale in 2003 with the Evo VIII model, but it has well-established itself as a giant killer…
Honda Two-Mode Hybrid Promises to be World’s Most Efficient, Headed to Production in 2012
Along with a new lineup of direct-injection gasoline engines and a performance-oriented electric SH-AWD equipped V6 hybrid model, Honda has announced a new two-mode hybrid system that will come paired with a 4-cylinder engine. Replacing the brand’s out-dated Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) single-mode hybrid system it will allow for an electric-only range at low speeds,…
Cadillac ELR Electric Car Could Be Rear Drive
An article in Automotive News suggests that the Cadillac ELR, which will share major driveline components with the Chevrolet Volt, will actually be rear-wheel drive. The report states that the ELR has been dubbed a 2+2, meaning two small seats in the rear, similar to a Porsche 911. The Volt uses a t-shaped battery pack…
Chevrolet Cruze Plug-In To Debut As Early 2014
While Chevrolet is readying a diesel version of their Cruze compact in 2013, an interesting tidbit of information leaked out regarding another gas-saving variant of the Cruze – a plug-in hybrid model. Australia’s GoAuto reports that the Cruze will be a traditional plug-in hybrid, where the engine and hybrid system work in tandem, rather than…
Toyota Prius c Brings Subcompact Dimensions To The Hybrid Segment
Toyota will add another vehicle to the Prius lineup shortly, with the upcoming Prius c subcompact. Intended to be the entry point into the Prius range, the Prius c will supposedly get over 50 mpg in the city. Technology will also be at the forefront of the Prius c, which comes with an integrated app…
Chevrolet Volt Fire May Lead To New Safety Standards
A fire involving a Chevrolet Volt that had undergone government crash testing has led to authorities investigating the possibility of requiring emergency responders to drain the batteries of electric and hybrid vehicles following a collision. A Volt that underwent a 20 mph side-impact crash test caught on fire several weeks later, causing the Volt as…
Chevrolet Volt Fires Investigated, Batteries Blamed
A Chevrolet Volt that went through crash-testing at a NHTSA facility in Wisconsin caught on fire three weeks after the test, prompting action from U.S. regulators. While the investigation hasn’t been made public, sources told Bloomberg that the fire was severe enough to damage surrounding vehicles. An incident also occurred at a private home in North Carolina,…
GM Letting Dealers Sell all 2,300 Volt Demo Models
General Motors has probably put more effort in the Chevrolet Volt project than in any other car they have produced in recent times, and they are adamant about turning it into a success. The goal is simple, to sell 10,000 Volts this year alone. Till the end of October, GM has sold just 5,003 Volts,…
Hyundai Elantra Touring Plug-In Hybrid Under Development
Although our German isn’t too great, Auto Motor und Sport, the automotive publication of record in Germany, is reporting that the Hyundai i30, also known as the Elantra Touring, will get a plug-in hybrid version in 2013. Hyundai has hinted at a competitor to the Toyota Prius before, and the i30, designed with the ultra-competitive…
