Green Car News
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If all goes according to schedule, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Kevin Gross will rule today on whether the assets from bankrupt Fisker Automotive will be sold to Wanxiang, China's largest auto-parts maker. That company submitted the winning bid of $149 million for the remains of Fisker in an auction that ended Friday evening, after 19 rounds of bidding over more than two days. If Judge Gross rules today that the sale is final, the question becomes: What does Wanxiang intend to do next? MORE: Who's Still Buying Brand-New Fisker Karmas, And Why? Wanxiang also owns A123 Systems, the lithium-ion cell...
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Compressed-Air Hybrid Tech: Peugeot To Offer In 2016 On Subcompacts
Last year French automaker PSA Peugeot-Citroen launched a whole new take on the hybrid system: Hybrid Air. While previous air-powered cars have had little more substance than the air that drives them along, the French carmaker's system is set to appear in actual Peugeot production cars over the...
Antony Ingram -
Three Lithium-Ion Giants Join To Build Better Electric-Car Battery
Three large global companies--Bosch, GS Yuasa, and Mitsubishi--have announced a joint venture to improve development of the next generation of batteries for electric vehicles. The group's aim is to double energy capacity, helping electric cars become truly mass-market in the next decade. Today...
Antony Ingram -
Fisker Sold, Tesla And Apple, Diesel Crossovers: Today's Car News
Fisker and Tesla make headlines today.
Stephen Edelstein -
Opel's New 3-Cylinder Engine May Preview Volt's Next Range-Extender
It's been expected for some time that the next generation Chevrolet Volt could use a smaller, more efficient and likely three-cylinder power unit as its range-extending engine. Now, we may be getting our first glimpse of that engine, in a more conventional installation than last year's Opel Monza...
Antony Ingram -
Did Apple Discuss Buying Tesla With Elon Musk Last Fall?
On Wednesday, Tesla will report its full-year financial results for 2013, a year in which it seems to have sold more than 20,000 Model S electric luxury sedans. It's an impressive figure for the startup electric automaker, and enough to make you wonder what Tesla could achieve with one of the...
Antony Ingram -
For the first time in over 15 years, increased engine and transmission problems in 2011 model year cars have contributed to a decline in vehicle dependability in J.D. Power's annual Vehicle Dependability Study. Ordinarily you might put this down to the luck of the draw--an occasional drop is almost inevitable. But there's a worrying correlation between these results and the trend for smaller, more fuel-efficient engines of the last few years. According to J.D. Power's results, there have been ten more reported problems per 100 vehicles for smaller four-cylinder engines than in the previous...
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World's First Entirely Renewable-Energy Place: Wind-Swept Scottish Island
The island of Eigg plans to become the first in the world to become self-sufficient on renewable energy.
Stephen Edelstein -
Fisker Assets Sold For $149 Million To Wanxiang, Chinese Parts Maker
The assets of bankrupt Fisker Automotive were sold to Wanxiang America at the close of an auction in Delaware bankruptcy court that lasted more than two days and lasted 19 rounds. Bloomberg reports that the Chinese company paid a total of $149.2 million for the company, or six times the price of...
John Voelcker -
2014 Toyota Corolla Eco, Selling Electric Cars, Nissan Leaf Carbon Footprint: Today's Car News
Nissan and Toyota make headlines today.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Toyota Corolla Eco LE: Gas Mileage Test Drive
The Toyota Corolla has long been the best-selling compact sedan in the U.S., and the all-new 2014 Corolla is a considerable advance over the aged, grim, unexciting model it replaced. We recently tested the most fuel-efficient model, the Corolla Eco, over our usual test route of about two-thirds...
John Voelcker -
Tesla Model S Electric Car Versus ... Ford Model T? A History Lesson
Well, give Car and Driver points for high concept: In picking a car to test against a 2013 Tesla Model S luxury electric sedan, the magazine chose...a 1915 Ford Model T. Yep, the most advanced, most talked-about battery-electric vehicle on the planet was pitted against the car that put the world on...
John Voelcker -
Car companies aren't in the habit of persisting with loss-making enterprises, so it's a surprise that Daimler has continued with its Smart city car brand as long as it has. Perhaps the next generation will fare better than previous models, thanks to a tie-up with French automaker Renault. We've now got the clearest look yet at what the next-gen Smart ForTwo (and four-seat ForFour) have in store, as Renault has revealed its own version of the car, the new Twingo. Renault's version will only be available in four-door format, having canned its own two-seat variant some time ago. It's quite a...
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2014 Nissan Leaf Has Lowest Lifetime Carbon Footprint: Report
Which new vehicle sold today has the lowest overall carbon footprint over its lifetime? The answer, according to Automotive Science Group (via InsideEVs), turns out to be the Nissan Leaf battery-electric car. In a study to be released this spring, The Automotive Peformance Index: Redefining Value...
John Voelcker -
Volvo's Efficient 180-Horsepower Drive-E Diesels Driven
Volvo may be best known for its emphasis on safety, but the marque is keen to cultivate an image of efficiency, too. As such, the Swedish automaker has overhauled its engine range with a new lineup of four-cylinder powerplants, in both gasoline and diesel formats. The idea is to offer four-cylinder...
Antony Ingram -
Many Car Dealers Don't Want To Sell Electric Cars: Here's Why
The stories abound: A car buyer walks into a dealership, educated about the electric car she wants to buy...and the salesperson tries to convince her she doesn't want that car after all. She really wants a gasoline car, he argues. MORE: Why Some Dealers Are Inept At Selling Plug-In Electric Cars...
John Voelcker -
2015 Kia Soul EV, Efficient New Volvos, China Electric-Car Subsidies: Today's Car News
Kia and Volvo make headlines today.
Stephen Edelstein -
2015 Kia Soul EV: Details From Execs Who Brought It To The U.S.
The upcoming 2015 Kia Soul EV is not only the Korean carmaker's first battery-electric vehicle sold in the U.S., it's also one of less than a dozen all-electric cars offered for sale. Launched last week at the Chicago Auto Show, it adds a new and much greener model to the very popular second...
John Voelcker -
After several years of keeping quiet, Volvo is finally starting to roll out new and updated products--especially in its core mid-size segment. We've now driven three of them, all 2015 models: the XC60 crossover utility, the S60 sport sedan, and the new V60 wagon, the first actual Volvo wagon to be sold here in a few years. MORE: 2015 Volvo V60 - review All of our test cars were fitted with the company's brand-new 2.0-liter four-cylinder Drive-E engine, a highly efficient new powerplant that will ultimately replace no fewer than eight different engines across Volvo's entire lineup of vehicles...
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Did You Know There's Now A 'Tesla Lifestyle'? Neither Did We
Tesla Motors continues to rack up achievements, it seems. The company has built more than 30,000 of its sleek Model S electric sport sedans, it's expanding into Europe and China, and it continues to get buzz and set stock-price records. In other words, the brand is HOT. MORE: Elon Musk Talks Tesla...
John Voelcker -
Honda Film: Controlling Air Pollution A 'Never-Ending Race'
The latest film in Honda's Environmental Short Film series focuses on the company's response to 1970s California air pollution.
Stephen Edelstein -
Will We Reach 'Peak Cars' Within Our Lifetime?
"Peak oil" is the term given to the date after which extraction and production of oil enters terminal decline. It doesn't mean the oil is necessarily running out--more that its extraction becomes less viable as time goes on. Some suspect a similar thing is happening with automobile use in the U.S...
Antony Ingram -
China To Extend Electric-Vehicle Subsidies Beyond 2015 Expiration Date
After it expires, the Chinese government will replace its current subsidy regime with a new policy.
Stephen Edelstein -
Toyota Prius Recall, Georgia Electric-Car Incentive, Tesla Ohio Troubles: Today's Car News
Green-car tax credits, sales, and recalls make headlines today.
Stephen Edelstein