Green
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Will video and time kill the Aptera star? Will Detroit? Or will the Auto X-Prize pull the final punch? As the field has been whittled down from 136 to just 9 contenders for the chance to win part of the elusive $10 million prize fund, we've watched electric vehicles dominate the event. For one eager and dare we say it, impetuous, zesty Californian startup the Auto X-Prize has been a roller-coaster of handling issues, elimination near-misses and technical faults. Fighting furiously throughout the competition Aptera, whose three-wheeled Aptera 2e is due to go on sale by 2013, has proven that...
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Toyota Seeks Country's 'Most Passionate Prius Fan' on Facebook
The Toyota Prius is the quintessential hybrid vehicle, with an instantly recognizable shape and a place in history confirmed by the South Park "Smug" episode. It seems like it's been with us forever, but in fact, Toyota only sold its very first 2000 Prius in the U.S. just 10 years ago. To celebrate...
John Voelcker -
Why Not Run Your Electric Car Via Your iPad? We'll Tell You Why
Sometimes it's hard to keep track of small electric-vehicle companies, most of whom are likely to vanish without a trace within a few years. But T3 Motion, an EV startup in Costa Mesa, California, has a gimmick: It uses an Apple iPad to provide driver and passengers with audio, video, games, and...
John Voelcker -
Another Day, Another Ambitious Hybrid/EV Start-Up Shows Up
It seems like almost every month or so a new start-up, often with roots tied up with a huge manufacturing conglomerate based in China, announces ambitious plans to launch a new generation of advanced hybrid or electric vehicles. Some of them become somewhat successful, like Coda, while others...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2011 Nissan Leaf Drive Review: A Real Electric Car for Real People
Just days after Nissan announced its 8 year, 100,000 mile warranty option for the 2011 Leaf, we've had a chance to do our second test-drive of the week in Nissan's $33,750 electric baby. Earlier this week, Nissan gave us some time behind the wheel of the Leaf in San Jose, California. We had a great...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
BREAKING: GM Boosts 2011 Chevrolet Volt Production 50 Percent
There's no better time to make a public announcement than when you have the President of the United States with you. Today,President Barack Obama visited the Detroit-Hamtramck plant where GM is building its 2011 Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. And the company took full advantage of...
John Voelcker -
Many global automakers have research outposts in Silicon Valley. BMW's is one floor of an unremarkable office building in downtown Palo Alto, while Volkswagen's much larger Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) occupies a whole building in an office park nestled in the foothills above Stanford University. It turns out that more than a year ago, Volkswagen added a "name" to its largely unknown staff of researchers, scientists, and engineers. Analysts skeptical It's Martin Eberhard, founder of recent IPO Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA], last seen a year ago in an ugly court battle with Tesla CEO Elon...
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Electric Vehicle Incentives Guide: Country By Country
Green conscience and new technology are both laudable, but getting extra money in your back pocket is nice too. Now, after all those years of paying taxes on your hard work, you can finally get some of it back. Consider it a tax refund for buying an electric car. Now that we know the purchase and...
Antony Ingram -
Video: Elon Musk Talks Cheaper Teslas, Space Trips And Life On The Colbert Report
Elon Musk leads a complicated life, from Tesla Motors' recent IPO to an ongoing and nasty divorce battle, not to mention questions about his veracity, but the seemingly subdued Tesla CEO remains firmly in the public eye. He took the time to go on the latest episode of The Colbert Report, where he...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Bosch Develops Engine Stop-Start System For Automatics
Autonomous engine stop-start systems, designed to save fuel by turning off a car’s engine when at a standstill, are increasing in popularity, especially in Europe, where fuel prices are often double what they are here. In many cases, the addition of an engine stop-start system can net fuel...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Are Public Charging Stations Really Needed for EV Deployment?
There's been a lot of discussion and consideration given to the topic of public charging stations for electric vehicles. The old "chicken verses egg" conundrum is called to mind as auto makers and politicians seem to fumble around without really knowing what to do and where to allocate funds. Will...
Tom Moloughney -
2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: First Drive
We've told you many times about the upcoming 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid--delving into its cosmetic and technical changes in our live coverage from the 2010 New York auto show, discussing how it fits in the Sonata lineup in a New York preview, reporting live from Korea on the Sonata Hybrid's...
Martin Padgett -
How fast, how far, and how long? These are the three most important questions asked of any electric car coming to market. Just like their gasoline counterparts, drivers want to know their first electric car won't leave them foundering at the lights, stranded on the freeway, or taking forever to recharge. For the number of small electric cars joining the newly forming A segment market for electric city runabouts, all three questions need impressive answers at a cost far below that of the larger, more suburban EVs, like the 2011 Nissan Leaf. Enter the 2012 Think City EV. Back on the market...
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Cities Want High-Mileage Hybrid Taxis; Judge Says It's Illegal
If you've been to New York City lately, you may have noticed an increasing number of hybrid taxis on the roads: mostly Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs, but also Toyota Camry Hybrid and Nissan Altima Hybrid sedans, and a scattering of others too. It's part of a long-term plan to green the fleet of 14,000...
John Voelcker -
BMW Ban From Claiming Zero-Emissions In Latest Advert
BMW doesn’t actually have a vehicle with zero emissions in its current lineup but that hasn’t stopped the automaker from touting its cleanliness with advertising promoting its Concept ActiveE all-electric vehicle, where the slogan is: "Thanks to its electrifying performance and zero CO2...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche 918 Spyder, World's Fastest, Priciest Hybrid, OKed For Production
Toss everything you thought you knew about hybrid-electric vehicles out the window. Porsche has just green-lighted production of a car that will shake preconceptions about hybrids to their roots. The Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar, first shown as a concept at this spring's Geneva Motor Show...
John Voelcker -
2011 Nissan Leaf: First Drive
The automotive world is tilting on its axis, and electric cars are about to become reality. Have you bought in, drunk the Kool-Aid? In other words, are you ready to drive a rechargeable car, something as mind-blowingly, reassuringly all-new as the 2011 Nissan Leaf? If you've hung in there through...
Martin Padgett -
Nissan Leaf Could Get 2013 Refresh
With yesterday's big news on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt price and the year-long nationwide sales launch of the 2011 Nissan Leaf, you'd think the news from Plug-In 2010 in San Jose would be over. But we're charged with looking farther into the distance so you don't have to--and that's why earlier this...
Martin Padgett -
 Coming shortly after the Chevrolet's announcement about the 2011 Volt's 8 year, 100,000-mile battery warranty, GM has now announced the price for their range-extended EV. The Volt's MSRP will be $41,000. GM have also announced the three-year lease price for the Volt. At $350, with a $2,500 down payment, leasing the Volt will set you back only a dollar more than the 2011 Nissan Leaf despite that car costing over $8,000 less. The lease price includes the $7,500 Federal electric-vehicle tax credit. When taking the tax credit into account, the Volt will cost only $33,500. Some states and...
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Senate Energy Bill: $$$ for Natural-Gas Vehicles, EVs Get Less
If there's even a chance for the U.S. Congress to pass an energy bill this year, it's going to be a long and tortuous slog. But the first cut at legislation, introduced yesterday, offers $4 billion for infrastructure and subsidies for natural-gas vehicles (NGVs), but just a tenth of that for the...
John Voelcker -
2011 Chevy Volt: No $5K Rebate, HOV-Lane Access For CA Buyers
Now we know: The first two plug-in cars from major manufacturers will go head-to-head on warranties and lease prices: $350 a month for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, $349 for the 2011 Nissan Leaf. Now the choice shifts to other measures, including electric and overall range, as well as the plug-in perks...
John Voelcker -
Coulomb Brings Its EV Charging Stations To The Home
Coulomb Technologies, one of the most successful companies rolling out rapid roadside charging stations for the new generation of plug-in vehicles debuting this year, announced today that it has adapted its technology for use in the home. Interestingly, residential chargers are where many of...
John Voelcker -
Porsche Panamera S Hybrid Coming Next Year
It's no secret that Porsche has a new found love affair with vehicle electrification, having recently unveiled its first hybrid model ever, the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid, as well as teasing fans with high-performance hybrids such as the 911 GT3 R Hybrid and 918 Spyder. Porsche even confirmed...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz Launches Trial Of Vito E-Cell All-Electric Van
Electric vehicles are ideal for hopping around town, making frequent stops and carrying heavy loads, so it’s not surprising to see the major automakers roll out all-electric commercial vans in addition to more mainstream models. The latest is Mercedes-Benz, which has unveiled its new Vito E-Cell...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran