Green Car News
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As cars throughout the automotive spectrum get more efficient, it's an increasing dilemma for buyers looking to improve their gas mileage. Just what should I buy? One of those fancy hybrids, or a regular, fuel-efficient car? Different fuel efficient vehicles excel at different types of driving--and as we know, driving styles and conditions have quite an effect on gas mileage. City driving Driving in the city presents its own set of unique challenges, and driving conditions also vary from city to city. Usually though, city driving means a few things: Slow traffic, plenty of time spent at a...
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BMW i4 Concept Electric Coupe To Appear At LA Show: Report
BMW could be set to unveil a new, sporty electric car at the upcoming 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Likely to be based on the BMW i3 electric city car, the new BMW 'i4' would be a more "fasionable and sporty" model to complement the i3 in BMW's increasing electric range. According to French magazine...
Antony Ingram -
Yes, Your Gas Mileage May Vary. Honest.
Despite best intentions, it's always necessary to take EPA fuel efficiency figures with a pinch of salt. A look at MPG-recording sites like Fuelly or the EPA's own fueleconomy.gov website will show that many drivers have wildly varying economy figures. And that, of course, is why the slogan "Your...
Antony Ingram -
Why It’s Time For Me To Find Another Place To Plug In
Later on today, I will hit the publish button on my final article as a full-time writer at Green Car Reports, turn off my computer, and officially end my time as an automotive journalist. Today, I start the transition from automotive writer to electric car advocate, a role I’ve wanted for...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
America's First All-Electric Taxi Firm Hopes To Launch In Arlington County
A taxi company in Arlington County, Virginia, is looking to become the first firm in the U.S. to have an all-electric fleet. The Electric Vehicle Taxicab Company aims to provide customers with a high-tech experience as they ride to their destinations. "Now is the time to be more technologically...
Antony Ingram -
Toyota Supports Higher MPG Standards In U.S. But Not Mexico?
Toyota has a reputation among U.S. car buyers for being green and offering fuel-efficient vehicles. But a recent post on the Natural Resources Defense Council blog painted a different picture. Noting that Toyota was suing to stop the implementation of fuel-economy rules in Mexico that duplicate...
John Voelcker -
U.S. production of the 2013 Nissan Leaf moved one step closer to reality earlier this week, when Nissan started eMotor production trials at its factility in Decherd, Tennessee. Located about 70 miles from Smyrna, where Nissan will start official U.S. production of the 2013 Leaf electric car, the motor production line--and its staff--are going through final production test runs before the plant commences official motor manufacturing later this year. Currently made in Japan, the Leaf’s electric motor contains around one mile of copper wiring, and takes Nissan longer to assemble than a...
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2014 Chevy Sonic Dusk: How Upscale Can Subcompact Sedans Go?
Luxury subcompacts are nothing new in Europe, where customers appreciate luxurious features but often need smaller, easier-to-park, cheaper-to-run cars. The idea is less familiar in the U.S, where subcompacts are generally associated with basic, frills-free transportation--but Chevrolet wants to...
Antony Ingram -
Auto Dealers' Fight Against Tesla Stores: Elon Musk Weighs In
Tesla Motors is facing a formidable opponent it may not have sufficiently appreciated: the auto dealers of America, and their state associations. Tesla, you may remember, is selling its electric cars online, not through franchised, independently owned dealers, and delivering them directly to buyers...
John Voelcker -
Chevy Unveils New, More Fuel-Efficient Small-Block V-8
Sitting under the hood of the next-generation 2014 Chevrolet Corvette, is a next-generation V-8 engine, both more powerful and more efficient than ever. It's said that the biggest gains in fuel efficiency can come from the least-efficient vehicles. As such, the new Corvette should be a huge...
Antony Ingram -
Hertz Asks New Yorkers Where They Should Rent Electric Cars
New Yorkers are reputedly never shy to offer opinions, whether or not they've been asked for. Now Hertz is partnering with a NYC government outreach program to ask residents where they'd like to see electric cars located for short-term rentals through its Hertz On Demand EV program. The Mission...
John Voelcker -
2014 Acura NSX Hybrid Supercar: Will Debut January In Detroit
At the start of this year, at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, Honda’s luxury arm Acura wooed the crowds with the world premiere of its NSX hybrid supercar concept. At the time, Acura promised its new flagship car would be on the roads for 2015 and ran a Super Bowl ad so popular, it crashed...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
It might be a compliance car, built by Toyota for the sole purpose of meeting California’s regulations for zero-emission vehicles, but the 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV is one of the most highly-anticipated plug-in cars of 2012. The anticipation is with good reason. Combining the practicality of a crossover SUV with a Tesla-engineered drivetrain, the 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV is the first contemporary all-electric crossover SUV to hit the market. But how do you go about buying one? Live in California As Toyota lists on its dedicated Toyota RAV4EV website, the first step to buying a 2012 RAV4 EV is to...
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Audi R8 e-Tron All-Electric Supercar On Hold: Report
One of the earlier all-electric concept cars from a major maker was the Audi R8 e-tron, first unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009. Audi has consistently said it will build up to 1,000 of the battery-electric supercar and sell them--for a high price--to buyers who want a...
John Voelcker -
Scandinavian Countries Plan For Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars
Nordic countries have consistently proven to be at the forefront of electric car and alternative fuel adoption, and now look set to take the lead with fuel cell vehicles too. Several northern European countries have signed a memorandum of understanding with Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai, to...
Antony Ingram -
BYD e6 Electric Crossover Will Be London Taxi, Still MIA In U.S.
The city of London, England is set to have its first all-electric taxi fleet from the second quarter of 2013. Taxi company greentomatocars and Chinese carmaker BYD have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see greentomato cars running a fleet of 50 BYD e6 electric crossovers...
Antony Ingram -
Onstar Will Let Chevy Volt Owners Share Their Data Again, Soon
Owners of the Chevy Volt range-extended electric car are often pretty technically advanced. Many are conversant not only with auto technology but also with apps and software analysis tools. Two weeks ago, the online Volt community erupted when OnStar abruptly shut stopped giving data access to...
John Voelcker -
Polite Reminder: As It Gets Colder, Your Plug-in’s Range May Drop
The nights are getting longer, children are starting to get ready for Halloween, and in certain states, you’ll have already had the first fall frost. If you’re approaching your first winter of plug-in car ownership, however, you might be in for a shock as the mercury starts to drop...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
If you live in a large city, work in a 9-5 job, and drive to the office, it’s probable that you end up spending at least some of your daily commute stuck in traffic. Assuming you drive a regular gasoline car--one without stop-start technology or hybrid drivetrain--congested traffic can seriously affect your gas mileage, as well as being a waste of your time. That’s because most gasoline engines are most efficient when spinning at between 2,000 and 3,000 RPM. In most situations, that means cruising at somewhere between 40 and 50 mph in top gear. Of course, being stuck in traffic...
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2013 Ford C-Max Energi, Fusion Energi Join California HOV Lane
Californians wanting to gain single-occupancy access to the state’s high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes now have twice as many eligible cars to choose from when buying their next vehicle. Yesterday, Ford announced that its 2013 C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid has met the standards set out by the...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Volkswagen Confirms Up Minicar Will Get 2-Cylinder Diesel Engine
Last year, Fiat's 875cc, twin-cylinder turbocharged engine won the 'International Engine of the Year' award, seeing off competition from Ferrari, BMW and Audi, among others. The award highlighted the importance of the new breed of tiny, efficient engines, and rumors began to surface that Volkswagen...
Antony Ingram -
2012 Tesla Model S: Most Important New Car Since Ford Model T?
There's no denying that the Ford Model T is one of the most important cars of all time. It jump-started the auto industry as we now know it. But Tesla is looking to change the automotive industry, and the new 2012 Model S just might be the most important new car since the Model T. Let's start with...
Joel Feder -
Congratulations! You’ve Bought Your Electric Car: Now What?
Like an increasingly large number of Americans, you’ve decided that paying nearly $5 for gasoline isn’t your idea of a good time. So, with all the due care and attention that goes with car buying, you’ve swapped your old car for a brand new electric car or plug-in hybrid. Now...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
VW's Tiny Taigun Shows Crossovers Can Get Even Smaller: Brazil Auto Show
The car you're looking at is the result of German automotive giant Volkswagen filling another niche in the market. Among its portfolio of worldwide brands there are very few shapes and sizes not yet explored, and the Volkswagen Taigun Concept adds a compact crossover to the list. Unveiled at the...
Antony Ingram