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Toyota to launch plug-in Prius in 2009
Coming a year ahead of scheduleDue to rising fuel economy concerns, Toyota is going to "quickly and flexibly" respond according to reports coming out of Japan. Thus, Toyota will launch a plug-in Prius for fleet customers in late 2009, a year ahead of schedule. It will also speed up development on...
4 different Fisker Karma plug-ins
The Fisker Karma plug-in hybridBy 2012 Fisker Automotive hopes to have 4 different Fisker Karma plug-in hybrids available for sale. By late 2009, Fisker will launch the Karma sedan, and by 2012 Fisker will "add a convertible, coupe and possibly a four-door sport-utility vehicle", according to...
Do hybrid tax credits still make sense?
Tax credits have helped Altima hybrid salesThe Toyota Prius has not qualified for a tax credit in some time, yet demand far outweighs supply. The demand supply ratio is so out of whack that dealers are adding as much as $5,000 to the MSRP, in addition to thousands worth of dealer add-ons - and they...
Fuel economy: Double jeopardy for tax payers?
Just let Congress manage our economy?Yesterday, I blogged on how the city of Flint is providing millions in tax breaks to GM to help fund the Chevy Volt, and GM is also seeking millions from the state as well. Likewise, GM is also requesting part of $50 billion in low interest, government backed...
Gustav: The end of gas guzzlers
Another Gulf Coast oil killer?Hurricane Gustav is building and the latest reports suggest that it could be a Katrina-sized hurricane as it heads into the Gulf. Obviously, we all remember the horrible devastation caused by Katrina. Yet, even if Katrina doesn't again flood New Orleans, it could still...
City of Flint to help fund Chevy Volt. Next?
How much will those outside GM pay to fund the Volt?GM needs a massive amount of money, or at least extremely cheap, government backed loans, to make the Chevy Volt a reality. But in addition to the Feds, the City of Flint has now committed millions in tax breaks to GM to help build a new plant for...
Chinese quickly getting into hybrid game?
More Chinese hybrids to launch this yearBYD Auto and Chery Automobile will both begin selling hybrid vehicles in China later this year according to new reports. The BYD F3DM is a dual mode plug-in hybrid that utilizes a lithium-ion battery pack and will go on sale later this year for about...
Most cost-effective gas savers according to Intellichoice
The most cost effective mid-sized gas saverAccording to Edmunds, most hybrid vehicles are not good buys because they cost more. Accordingly, a Honda Fit without air conditioning or cruise control and little more than a cheap AM/FM radio is a better deal than the Toyota Prius, simply because the...
Hybrid rationale: Oil-rich Arabs to buy Hummer?
Where gas guzzling is freeSince, according to Boone Pickens, the famous oil man, America's foreign oil dependency has led to one of the greatest transfers of wealth in world history, a few Gulf Arabs are interested in buying the most iconic gas-guzzling brand, Hummer. Ohhh, the irony.
And yet people...
Big price increase for third gen Prius?
Bigger, faster, pricier than this?When Toyota announced that it was going to raise prices on some of its hybrid cars in Japan last week, it was hard not to wonder if more price increases are looming for Toyota's hybrids sold in the US. Since Toyota can't keep up with demand at current prices, a...
Can a company like Tesla become a player?
Has it already changed the auto industry?GM's car guru, Bob Lutz, has stated that Tesla was a factor in the decision to move aggressively towards the Chevy Volt. Thus, if not for Tesla, would there even be a Volt?
Possibly, but without doubt, Tesla motivated GM to move faster towards vehicles such...
Prop10 - Has California gone hybrid crazy?
A $5 billion bond for clean energyA few times per hour I'm seeing Yes on 10 commercials on CNBC. What is Yes on 10?
"Proposition 10 is a five billion dollar bond measure which will reduce California?s dependence on foreign oil; clean our air of asthma and cancer causing chemicals; and create...
US automakers need $40 billion
A Ford plug-in hybrid at NAIASThere is an interesting article, The Next Bailout: Detroit,
that covers the latest talks the Big 3 US automakers are having with some members of Congress. Apparently, the Big 3 need about $40 billion to both survive and to develop next generation hybrid cars and...
GM's future: A convergence of synergies
Volt and Cruze will share enginesThere has been a lot of buzz about GM's commitment to the Chevy Cruze, a small vehicle that could achieve 40 mpg on the highway.
I know. I know.
Highway fuel economy is far over-rated. The real question is, can this car get 30 mpg in the city?
Still, I don't want to...
$20.00 more per day to rent a hybrid?
Only if you are considering a purchase?About a year ago I needed to rent a car, so I thought I'd check out which hybrid cars were available for rental in my area of the world - Northeast Los Angeles. I couldn't find one available.
The other day a friend of mine was in need of a rental car following...
Peugeot RC - Here comes another luxury hybrid
Great for the rich, but what about the rest of usPeugeot is showing off its RC hybrid concept in advance of the Paris Motor Show. When the actual hybrid does debut at Paris, it won't be called the RC. It will, however, come with a 313 horsepower hybrid powertrain according to early reports.
While...
Hyundai Sonata hybrid coming in 2010
Ready to take on the Camry hybrid?InsideLine is reporting that Hyundai will debut the Sonata hybrid at the LA Auto show this coming November. In addition, Hyundai would only confirm that the Sonata hybrid would be launched by 2010, and that it will utilize a parallel hybrid drive coupled with a...
BorgWarner to help GM on EVs?
Ready to make transmissions for the Volt?The CEO of BorgWarner was just on a CNBC segment titled 'Turbocharging the Auto Industry'. While discussing various technologies for improving fuel economy, the CEO also addressed technologies for hybrid cars and electric vehicles. During this part of the...
I hate gas guzzlers
Gas guzzler.Gas guzzler, gas guzzler, gas guzzler.
You see them everywhere. Huge SUV gas guzzlers. Luxury sedan gas guzzlers. Sports car guzzlers. Gas guzzlers everywhere.
But driving a gas guzzler is fun. It's about more than transportation. It sends a message. It tells people you can afford the...
750,000 miles in a hybrid - How far have you gone?
Is it possible?I was reading the latest Honda Civic hybrid testimonials, and I was surprised to read about a Civic hybrid with 750,000 miles. Owner, Skip, states "That is not a misprint. I have never gotten less than 40 mpg with the a/c on at 70 mph. I love this car."
Now, we have no reason to doubt...
Buy the car. Lease the battery.
Is this the way to sell PHEVs and EVs?Quite regularly, I am contacted by people inquiring about the reliability of the batteries in hybrid cars. As the auto industry moves further towards the electrification of the auto, the importance of batteries will increase significantly.
Would a battery lease...
Ford Hybrids: Safer than Toyota
A 5 Star Safety vehicleThe 2009 Ford Escape hybrid and the Mercury Mariner hybrid are both 5 star rated vehicles according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And Ford hopes to use this rating as a way to promote its hybrid vehicles over Toyota. Both the Toyota Prius and the...
The Chrysler, Ford and Chevy Volt?
America's hybrid?According to Reuters Chrysler views manufacturing alliances with other automakers as the key to Chrylser's success. And, if fuel economy remains a significant factor for American consumers, Chrysler's alliance with GM on dual mode hybrid vehicles will only increase in...
New lexus hybrid could come as a convertible
A Prius with a different body?While Toyota won't offer the Prius in different variants when it launches the third gen. Prius next year, it will use the Prius as the basis for a new Lexus hybrid. Little is known about this new luxury hybrid, other than it will use the third generation Hybrid Synergy...
Silverado: A very smart GM hybrid
Finally, a hybrid truckI just finished reading an InsideLine review of the GM Silverado hybrid. Basically, the Silverado hybrid is going to use the same dual mode hybrid technology powering the Chevy Tahoe hybrid and the GMC Yukon hybrid, which means fuel economy in the low 20's, depending on wheel...