Green Car News
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Toyota has admitted that its Yaris small car isn't a marketing priority right now in the U.S. Instead, much of the company's efforts are going into the top-selling Corolla line--but when the firm's next-generation small car hits the streets, things could change. The next Toyota subcompact isn't yet confirmed to use the Yaris name, but we do know it'll be based on the next Mazda2, and built at Mazda's facility in Salamanca, Mexico. Wards Auto reports that Toyota is looking forward to the new small car, and some members of Toyota's U.S. dealer council have already seen photos of the new car...
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Via Motors To Show More Plug-In Electric Trucks In Detroit
Electric vehicle startups come and go, but it's harder to ignore one fronted by "father of the Chevy Volt" Bob Lutz. That startup is Via Motors, producer of electric trucks, and it's set to unveil three new full-size electric vehicles at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Diversifying from mere work...
Antony Ingram -
Tesla Supercharger Network Expands Into East Coast
The 2013 Tesla Model S comes with one feature no other electric car can match: free quick-charging at an expanding network of Supercharger stations, usable only by Tesla owners. Following its October launch between the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, the network now includes a station along...
John Voelcker -
2014 Mazda6 Sedan: 31 MPG Combined (Or So), But Not For Sale
In olden days, new models for the following year came out in September. Now, they're all over the calendar. The latest example is the 2014 Mazda Mazda6 sedan, of which several hundred already sit in Mazda showrooms across the country. Its highly efficient 184-hp SkyActiv 2.5-liter four-cylinder...
John Voelcker -
Could Hybrids Use Lead-Acid Batteries? Startup Says Yes
It's quite easy to forget that cars have been using batteries for years before hybrids and electric vehicles arrived. The humble lead-acid battery, the planet's most recycled product, has been starting engines and providing power for car electrics ever since such a thing was required. Now, battery...
Antony Ingram -
'Twas The Night Before Christmas ...
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Elon soon would be there. The Green Car Reporters were sat at the desk, Reading through comments and some were grotesque...
Antony Ingram -
Starting with its rollout in the 2012 Buick Lacrosse, GM has steadily added its eAssist mild-hybrid system to an expanding roster of vehicles. Next year, it will be offered as an option on the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox and the 2014 GMC Terrain, which will be the first crossover utility vehicles to receive the system. The news was reported by GM Insider this morning, based on Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) cards issued by General Motors for 2014 models. UPDATE: GM representative Joe LaMuraglia contacted Green Car Reports to say the original report was incorrect. The VIN card located by GM...
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Lexus Sleighs The Competition With Hybrid Transport For Santa
You can't trust reindeer these days. Must be that celebrity status. With Christmas days away and Santa's lazy hoofed helpers sunning themselves in Hawaii on a last-minute travel deal, it's taken Lexus to come up with a solution for those vital Christmas deliveries. Last year, Ford provided the...
Antony Ingram -
Electric Cars Are Doing Just Fine, Says Volt Patron Bob Lutz
Sometimes the glass is half empty, sometimes it's half full. For the future of electric cars, count Bob Lutz on the half-full side--most likely containing a very nice Scotch. Lutz is not only the former GM product development czar, but the man who pushed through the Chevrolet Volt range-extended...
John Voelcker -
Global Lexus Hybrid Sales Pass Half-Million Mark
Luxury automaker Lexus has hit a major milestone in hybrid sales: Half a million units. Since the company's first hybrid, the Lexus RX 400h hit the roads in 2005, over 506,000 have followed. And it's the RX hybrid which is still the best-selling line, making up over half of Lexus's total hybrid...
Antony Ingram -
Canada To Boost Electric-Car Charging Station Networks In Provinces
Electric car availability is low in some Canadian provinces, but as that changes, some companies have already begun to set up charging networks. As with the U.S. and elsewhere around the world, electric cars are expected to be most prevalent in larger cities, such as Toronto, Montreal and...
Antony Ingram -
Hong Kong, Choked By Smog, Bans Most Polluting Vehicles
Choked by smog, the city of Hong Kong has finally cried "enough!" Despite setting clean air targets, the city's smog problems have been increasing every year, and authorities have finally brought in measures to ban the highest-polluting vehicles. According to Bloomberg (via Treehugger), that...
Antony Ingram -
If you want a Nissan Leaf then getting one before the start of January could net you a hefty cashback offer right now. Some Nissan dealers are advertising a $9,775 cashback offer direct from Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp (NMAC), Nissan's car finance arm. The offer has been running since the start of December, and ends on January 2, 2013. Details on the offer through the dealer websites are limited, but the offer appears to apply solely to lease customers. The cashback deal should clear Nissan's current stock of Leaf models, before the updated 2013 car is revealed at January's Detroit Auto...
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GM And PSA To Collaborate On Future European Small Car Designs
General Motors and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen have penned an agreement to merge their future European small car development program, as well as focusing efforts on building a fuel-efficient, high performance small-displacement gasoline engine. The brands have abandoned plans to jointly develop a midsize...
Kurt Ernst -
Tesla Reveals European Pricing For Model S Electric Sedan
Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] has announced European pricing for the Model S, set to go on sale there next year. Speaking on the Tesla Blog, Tesla vice president George Blankenship revealed that the company is using a transparent approach to European pricing, making no more profit per car than it does...
Antony Ingram -
Fusion, Altima Get IIHS Top Safety Pick 'Plus'; Prius V, Camry Fall Short
Ford and Nissan are celebrating the results of the latest round of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash testing--but rival Toyota won't be quite so joyful. The 2013 Ford Fusion and 2013 Nissan Altima have earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, a new level above the previous Top Safety...
Antony Ingram -
Hybrid Rumors Persist For Next Nissan GT-R Sports Car
Once the perserve of the Japanese domestic market and the occasional videogame, the Nissan GT-R has subsequently become a performance icon. In its current iteration, it produces 545-horsepower from a 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6. 60 mph arrives in around three seconds and de-restricted it'll do...
Antony Ingram -
Wireless Electric Car Charging: Steady Growth Through 2020
Wireless charging is nothing new--but it could be the next widely-used technology in the world of electric cars. That's according to Pike Research, which suggests wireless charging sales will surpass 280,000 by 2020. The group cites the partnerships of several electric vehicle manufacturers with...
Antony Ingram -
While purchasing a hybrid vehicle is a relatively easy decision these days, the purchase of a plug-in hybrid can be significantly more difficult to justify, thanks to its greater expense. In terms of the Toyota Prius, a 2013 Prius Two with no options can be configured with a sticker price as low as $24,995, including destination charge. The least expensive Prius Plug-In, meanwhile, would sticker at $32,760, also with the destination charge factored in. While the Prius Plug-In comes as well-equipped as a Prius Three, we’re more interested in comparing the least-expensive variant of each...
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Sales Of Hybrids & Electric Cars Surge 73% In 2012
Eco-minded shoppers have seen environmental issues take up more space in the news, and they've known that it was simply a matter of time before those concerns began affecting the sorts of vehicles we drive. Now, mainstream consumers are beginning to see the light. The change hasn't come overnight...
Richard Read -
Don't Like Your Vauxhall Ampera (Chevy Volt)? Simply Give It Back!
With the holiday season in full swing, many will no doubt experience the small disappointment of receiving a gift they neither like, need, or want. It's a mere inconvenience and probably won't distract from the season's high points, but it's a different story if you've gone out to buy something...
Antony Ingram -
Ford Hybrid Sales Go Gangbusters Despite Mileage Concerns
Ford may yet have to account for discrepancies between real-world mileage and EPA ratings on its hybrids, but any issues certainly aren't harming its sales. The company reports that the C-Max hybrid has become the fastest-selling hybrid ever, with 8,030 units sold in its first two months on sale...
Antony Ingram -
Hiriko Folding Electric Car Now Set For Production
One of the most novel electric vehicles we've seen in recent years is the Hiriko. The Hiriko is designed for inner city car sharing schemes, initially in Europe but also touted for some U.S. cities. And it has a party piece: The Smart-sized electric vehicle can effectively fold in half to fit tiny...
Antony Ingram -
Mitsubishi: "We Can Compete On Price With Electric Cars"
Mitsubishi's sole electric vehicle, the 'i' city car, isn't a vehicle to suit all tastes. The odd styling, limited range and high price will put off many, but don't discount Mitsubishi just yet--as their electric range is set to grow over the next few years. The company remains committed to the...
Antony Ingram