Green Car News
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Most Chinese carmakers have backed away from plans to attack the U.S. market, and their hopes of dominating electric cars have slowed. But Chinese maker BYD continues to develop and test the e6 all-electric crossover utility it hopes to sell in the U.S. within a couple of years. Now, we've had the chance to take a brief drive in the latest, updated BYD e6--known internally as the BYD e6-B. Its front styling has a grille-like opening below the blanking panel, and the front bumper and lower body panel are restyled. We didn't get the usual full day's test drive, but were limited to several laps...
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So Who Exactly Buys A Scion iQ Minicar? Now Toyota Knows
Scion has revealed that as much as 60 percent of Scion iQ buyers are new to Toyota, fulfilling Scion's brief of drawing in younger buyers. The figure is important for Toyota, as the hardest part of selling cars is often attracting buyers to the brand. With the cheap, entry-level iQ model in the...
Antony Ingram -
Cars That Should Get Diesel Engines In The U.S., Now!
If diesel is your fuel of choice for high gas mileage, then you might be a little disappointed with the limited selection of vehicles available. Certainly, the U.S. lags behind Europe as far as choice of diesels is confirmed, but there seem to be some glaring omissions in North America's diesel...
Antony Ingram -
Will Open-Air Renault Twizy Electric Car Threaten New Smart ForTwo?
Smart might have just unveiled the 2013 Smart ForTwo, but it doesn't take a genius to work out it's little more than a facelift with some new trim materials. While the car is gaining evolutionary improvements, Smart really needs the next generation of ForTwo, currently being co-developed with...
Antony Ingram -
EVS-26: Are Electric Cars Suffering Sophomore Slump?
Has the electric-car industry passed through its first-year euphoria and entered a sophomore slump? That’s the question on our mind after dozens of panels, presentations, meetings, and corridor chats at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium. EVS-26 is being held through today at the Los...
John Voelcker -
How Much Will You Have To Pay For Higher MPG?
The improving fuel efficiency of modern cars is set to be a double-edged sword for car buyers, at least as far as reducing gas bills is concerned. With gas mileage rising all the time, we're using less fuel--undoubtedly a good thing. That also means less gas tax revenue for the government however...
Antony Ingram -
We're allowing ourselves to get a little excited over the Rimac Concept_One, a 1,088-horsepower electric supercar from Croatia. Okay, so with a price tag only just on the right side of $1 million and only 88 ever set to hit the road, it's not a realistic proposition for many, but like the Tesla Roadster or Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell, it's living, breathing proof that electric cars can be more than just appliances for those who don't really like cars. That's why it's great to see Rimac's video of a Concept_One squealing its way around a track--burning rubber, going sideways, and doing things...
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BMW ActiveE Drivers To Benefit From Cheaper Solar Power
"Yeah, but where does the electricity come from, huh?" comes the oft-sneering question when the subject of electric cars is brought up in polite conversation. Sneery it may be, but there's an underlying point if your main source of power is something like coal. However, BMW ActiveE drivers will...
Antony Ingram -
Was A Fisker Karma The Cause Of A Recent House Fire?
If authorities in Fort Bend County, Texas are correct, there’s more bad news in store for extended-range electric automaker Fisker. Last week, a 2012 Fisker Karma owner in Fort Bend County parked his Karma in an attached garage, alongside a Mercedes SUV and an Acura NSX. Three minutes later...
Kurt Ernst -
Smart Electric Bike On Sale In Europe, Due In U.S. Soon
Smart's ebike electric bicycle is now available to order across Europe, before the first bikes hit retailers in late May, going on sale in the U.S. soon after. The bike reinforces the brand's stance on urban mobility, providing consumers with another option for city commutes beyond the regular...
Antony Ingram -
Fast Charging Vs Battery Switching: Better Place Customer Compares
By far the most reasonable use for electric cars charged at home is for a regular commute. If the return journey is less than the range of the car, electric cars make complete sense. Battery topping up using Level 2 chargers in public areas is a bonus, but rarely make an impossible journey...
Brian of London -
Karabag, Linde Make Electric Fiat 500, Reduces Running Costs
With only a 1.4-liter engine and a relatively low purchase price, the regular 2012 Fiat 500 isn't what you might call an expensive car. German electric vehicle maker Karabag thinks it can make the little Fiat even cheaper though, and has installed an electric drivetrain into the car to prove it...
Antony Ingram -
There are many routes to outstanding fuel efficiency, but it's often diesel that's chosen to demonstrate the highest mpg numbers and longest distances. Mileage experts Helen and John Taylor achieved both, to become the world record holders for the longest distance driven on one tank of fuel, using a Volkswagen Passat TDI. In driving from Houston, Texas to Sterling, Virginia, the Taylors drove 1,626 miles on a single 19.322 gallon fill of clean diesel. That equates to an average economy figure of 84.1 miles per gallon. The Taylors were determined to make it a proper test too, rather than...
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More Details, Live Photos: 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV Electric SUV Launch
This is what it looked like yesterday when the wraps came off the production model of the 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV, Toyota's first battery electric vehicle in more than a decade. The exposition hall at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium is more likely to see displays of electric vehicle...
John Voelcker -
Electric Motorcycle Breaks 7-Second, 200 MPH Quarter Mile
In the time it takes you to read this sentence, Larry "Spiderman" McBride set the first 200 mph quarter-mile run on an electric motorcycle. Crossing the line in 6.94 seconds and at a terminal speed of 201.37 mph, Spiderman and his Lawless Electric Rocket bike have set not only an electric...
Antony Ingram -
2012 Toyota RAV4 EV Electric SUV: Fewer Than 1,000 A Year
Today, Toyota revealed the production version of its eagerly awaited 2012 RAV4 EV all-electric crossover, with a powertrain designed and provided by startup electric carmaker Tesla Motors. Surprising many at the event, Toyota revealed its production plans: It expects to build and sell roughly 2,600...
John Voelcker -
Chrysler Town & Country Plug-In Hybrids Now Testing Across U.S.
Chrysler has completed the roll-out of its small fleet of Town & Country plug-in hybrids, after delivering the first vehicles at the beginning of April. Only 25 of the plug-in minivans have been produced, as part of a two-year test suitability and public reaction to the vehicles. The first four...
Antony Ingram -
German Consortium, Including BMW, Daimler, Siemens, Design A Better Electric Car
BMW and Daimler have traditionally been rivals in the automotive world, but last week we learned that engineers from the two rival German companies have been working together on a joint project to design and test a safer, more affordable, more efficient electric car. The Visio.M project, funded to...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Round, black, and easily forgettable--that's your average car tire. Often, we don't think about them until we need to change them, whether the tread is wearing low or we get a puncture. However, it's well worth considering them more often, as not only are they vital to your safety, but tires also have a big impact on gas mileage. Good tires A good tire will do many things. Choose the right make and compound for your car, and you'll not only enjoy better ride quality and handling, but low noise and long life. They'll also save you money in the long run. Don't always be tempted to choose the...
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Optimizing For Electric Miles: One Reader Does The Math
It's one of the main points of dispute among electric-car buyers and advocates: What is the "right" number of all-electric miles? Some say maximal range is needed, e.g. the EPA-rated 73 miles of the Nissan Leaf or the promised 320 miles of the highest-spec 2012 Tesla Model S (that's not an EPA...
John Voelcker -
Official: 2013 Kia Rio Will Come With Optional Stop-Start System
More often than most automakers would care to admit, that new car that you see debuted at a major auto show will undergo some minor -- and sometimes major -- alterations before it hits the dealer forecourt. Take the 2012 Kia Rio, for example. Officially launched at the 2011 New York Auto Show, Kia...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Relax: Electric Cars, Hybrids Won't Ruin Auto Racing
With the F1, NASCAR and IndyCar seasons in full swing, the Le Mans 24 Hour race just around the corner and grassroots series taking place all over the globe, the warmer months are heaven for those with gasoline in their veins. So intoxicated are they by the sounds, smells and sights, many are...
Antony Ingram -
Toyota Supra Hybrid Sports Car Given Green Light Once More?
News of a new Toyota Supra will be music to the ears of fans of Japanese sports cars, but the next generation of the car may please those of a greener disposition too. While the previous Supras have been dominated by brutish good looks and embraced by the tuning scene, the next model will be...
Antony Ingram -
Converting A Car To Electric? How About A ’39 Pontiac Silver Streak?
For as long as electric cars have existed, enterprising individuals around the U.S. have sought to convert gasoline cars to electric power. Over the years, we’ve seen everything from classic British sportscars through to SUVs and pickup trucks converted to run on electric power, with...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield