Green Car News

Yesterday, Nissan officially started U.S. production of the 2013 Altima at its vehicle assembly plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. The fifth generation of the car since it was launched in 1992, the 2013 Altima is expected to arrive at Nissan dealers across the U.S. at the start of June, with the...

You’ve taken the plunge and shelled out anything from $33,000 upwards for an all-electric 2012 Nissan Leaf. Quiet, efficient and full of gadgets, you’ve discovered that it has quickly relegated your gas car to the garage, carrying out the weekend chores, work commutes and maybe even...

These days, we’re pretty sure that most car drivers know that the EPA-approved gas mileage ratings you see displayed on every new car at the dealer are for guidance only. In short, your mileage may (and probably will) vary from the EPA ratings, but by how much? And what effect does poor...

Some electric-car makers (they know who they are) tend to quote base prices after subtracting the U.S. Federal income tax credit of $7,500. We don't do that here, but that practice would be even more tempting in Estonia--which gives a whopping $22,900 (18,000-euro) incentive on every electric car...

Toyota, take note: as Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell from HBO's popular Game Of Thrones might say, “Ford Is Coming.” Pop culture references aside, Ford announced yesterday that it has begun to accept orders for its 2013 C-Max Hybrid hatchback, a car it hopes will steal Toyota’s...

If you've seen the animated Pixar film WALL-E, you'll remember a scene where humanity, after generations of being on a space ship where everything is done for them, are hugely overweight and never get out of their hovering chairs to interact with the world. That was the scene that came to mind when...

It’s no secret that Los Angeles has some of the worst air pollution of any city in the U.S., especially around its ports, where long lines of trucks wait idling to fill up with cargo from docking ships. But a new project from German electronics company Siemens could see that change forever...

Oh, for heaven's sakes. We're all for saving fuel by buying fuel-efficient cars, driving economically, cutting out unnecessary trips, planning ahead, carpooling, and all the other sensible, practical steps anyone can take to cut gas costs, lower their personal carbon footprint, and otherwise...

In the quest for efficient mobility, there are three major players currently battling for top spot. The 2012 Nissan Leaf, 2012 Chevrolet Volt and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In all have one main aim--efficiency--but all go about reaching that aim in different ways, which also means that each has its own...

Ask anyone what company makes the most fuel-efficient car on the market, and they'll likely answer Toyota. That's correct. But Toyota's reputation for fuel economy rests largely on its expanding line of hybrid-electric vehicles, led by the Prius family of four separate models. Its gasoline models...

It isn't just big manufacturers like Nissan and Mitsubishi that enter the famous Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado--plenty of individuals and independent teams take part each year too. This year, Electric Vehicle West, or EV West, is entering a converted electric car into the event, based on a...

Prejudice is a strange thing. Not only does it shape our opinion of the world around us, but it influences everything from the food we eat to the car we buy, either consciously or subconsciously. In the automotive world however, it seems that brand prejudice can be overcome with a little marketing...

It had to happen some time, just not perhaps as quickly as this. Since Nissan’s all-electric Leaf hatchback launched in late 2010, many have been watching with interest to see how long it would be before the car’s 24 kilowatt-hour battery pack showed the gradual reduction in range and...

Electric motorcycle manufacturer Brammo has revealed two brand new motorcycles, the Empulse and Empulse R. Each motorcycle offers both a 100 mph top speed, and 100 miles of range. The company has incorporated features suggested from research on its previous products, to ensure the Empulse and...

A team of researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, has opened the door to a future of clean, cheap hydrogen fuel by ditching a popular platinum catalyst in favor of one based on two low cost alternatives, nickel and molybdenum. Until now, the manufacture of hydrogen gas has...

The trend is clear: To get higher gas mileage, almost all new cars will have smaller, more efficient engines. Mazda says its new line of SkyActiv engines and transmissions, though, takes the carmaker to new heights of fuel efficiency. We recently tested two different Mazdas fitted with its...

Following in the tire-tracks of its older, larger and wagon-variant siblings,the 2012 Toyota Prius C has been awarded the coveted Top Safety Pick Award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). A separate set of crash tests from those carried out by the National Highway Traffic Safety...

Back in the late 1990s, Volkswagen embarked upon the development of its first "three liter" car. That number didn't refer to engine capacity, but a European fuel measurement of three liters per 100 kilometers--or 78 miles per gallon. That car was the Volkswagen Lupo 3L, a high-tech, lightweight...

Garages in single-family homes are relatively easy to wire for electric-car charging; shared garages in multifamily residences often aren't. Therein lies much frustration, not only for plug-in car drivers but also their landlords. The latest episode hit the airwaves last Wednesday, when KGO-TV in...

It now looks almost certain that Ferrari will use hybrid technology for the next iteration of its range-topping supercar line, according to reports. Following the iconic 288 GTO, F40, F50 and Enzo hypercars, the next model--dubbed by some as F70--looks set to use Ferrari's HY-KERS hybrid system...