For all the dismissive attitudes surrounding GM CEO Dan Akerson, his latest machinations seem particularly astute, even if they don’t quite jibe with the tastes of “car guys”. For months, Akerson has been creating a contingency plan for when oil prices rise to $120 per barrel. Akerson is on record stating that “I don’t think...
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A few months ago, BMW announced that it will introduce a new sub-brand, that will focus its energy on electric and hybrid vehicles, and this new division will simply be called “i.” Now comes a report that suggests BMW hopes the “i” brand will be able to sell 30,000 of its i3 electric model per-year....
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The population of hybrids is on the rise globally, and Toyota/Lexus seems to be leading the pack. While it might not be the only company that manufactures and sells hybrids, their models are by far the most popular. According to Toyota/Lexus, they have sold just over 3.03-million hybrid vehicles as of February 28, 2011. Since...
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With most car manufacturers, the different trim levels often signify how well-equipped a vehicle is. But the new Tesla Model S electric car will use them in a different manner, with the three trims carrying different batteries, ranging from 160 to 300 miles. The first cars produced by Tesla will be a limited run of...
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There might not be a larger void between two automakers than the British brands Lotus and Rolls-Royce. One focuses on bare-bones sports cars, while the other epitomizes excessive luxury. But when Rolls-Royce decided to push ahead with plans to create an electric car concept, it went straight to the engineering minds at Lotus. On display...
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The pint-sized smart fortwo might not be for everyone. Despite being a practical means of transportation for those who mostly drive in city centers, its quirky gearbox is a pain to use in stop and go traffic because its not the smoothest system on the planet. The smart e.d. (electric drive) on the other hand...
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We’re all familiar with the Smart ForTwo, which is a polarizing vehicle to say the least, but initial impressions of their newest concept, the Forspeed EV Roadster, which debuted at the Geneva Auto Show, are all lining up in one direction, and it’s not exactly positive. Sure, the chopped roof and windshield are kind of...
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[vs-jwplayer movieid=”0TI2ldDbBbw” width=”640″ height=”390″ autoplay=”0″] Looking remarkably close to a production car, the Nissan ESFLOW is a look at what an electric sports car could be. From the company that brought us the Leaf (the world’s first mainstream production car), there’s little doubt that Nissan lacks either the know-how or drive to bring it to...
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Rolls-Royce used to sell its cars with a tagline that bragged about the lack of cabin noise, with only the ticking of the in-cabin clock to be heard during your ride. Now, that tagline is somewhat moot, as the all-electric 102EX, unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show, is for all intents and purposes silent thanks...
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In Germany, the Volkswagen Microbus was affectionately known as the “Bulli”, proving that terms of endearment and the German language aren’t always compatible. While Volkswagen had a false start with their Microbus concept in 2001, the same idea is back 10 years later, and it manages to be even more contemporary while still providing Baby...
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While technically a concept, the Nissan ESFLOW appears to be a near-production look at what an electric sports car could be. From the company that brought us the Leaf (the world’s first mainstream production car), there’s little doubt that Nissan lacks either the know-how or drive to bring it to market soon. Much smaller than...
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Nissan‘s striking ESFLOW concept, which has been teased in renderings online, finally appeared in the flesh ahead of the official opening of the Geneva Auto Show on Monday. With a range of 150 miles and an estimated 0-60 time of 5 seconds, the ESFLOW is the kind of electric car we can support. Considering that...
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If you “like” electric vehicles, you’ll want to check out Ford‘s new electrified Facebook Fanpage. Dedicated to educate enthusiasts and curious consumers, fans will be able to find and share information about Ford’s electric vehicles. If you’re already a fan of this page, you’ll know that it’s where Ford first revealed the information about the...
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Giorgetto Giuigiaro and design studio Italdesign have given us a glimpse of two Volkswagen concepts set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. Italdesign has collaborated with Volkswagen in the past, with the original Golf and Scirocco widely considered as classics of design. They’ve gone on to pen the Volkswagen W12 concept and...
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It was hard not to be surprised by the recent Green Car Book ranking of the Chevrolet Volt, which placed it just 13th in a list of most environmentally friendly vehicles. The Volt, after all, has a 60-mpg combined EPA sticker rating. The list, compiled by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a...
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Nissan‘s Leaf electric car has been in such high demand that the company is struggling to build them fast enough. It’s stopped taking new orders just to fulfill its current demand. Out of 27,000 total orders so far from the United States, Japan, and Europe, it has only completed 10,000. The remaining 17,000 will be...
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Rolls-Royce will take a big step towards bringing to market an electric vehicle, debuting an electric version of its flagship Phantom model at the Geneva Auto Show in just over a weeks time. Rolls has announced it will debut the car, known as either the 102 EX or Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), and then take...
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However, state anti-tax activists in Washington, say that the proposal is not a fee but a tax and should be subjected to a two thirds vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives before being approved, making it harder for it to to actually become law.
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The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a non-profit group sponsored by foundations, electric utilities and government agencies, released its list of the Greenest Vehicles, and the Honda Civic GX, a perennial favorite, continued to come out on top for the 8th consecutive year. In second place was the all-electric Nissan Leaf, while the much...
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While rumors of the new BMW sub-brand have been floating around for months, February 21st has been marked as the official announcement date for details the sub-brand, and the apparently revolutionary MegaCity electric vehicle. Many suggest that the new sub-brand will be a re-imagining of the Isetta microcar of nearly a half century ago, and...
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Don’t label RUF Automobiles as a mere Porsche tuner. They install enough of their own parts in Porsche bodies to be considered by the German government to be an independent manufacturer. And while Porsche is experimenting with electricity on their own, RUF has beaten them to the punch, with three different electric drivetrains, stuffed in...
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Any time a hot new car is released, the inevitable race to squeeze every last dollar from consumers starts almost immediately, and the Chevrolet Volt is no exception. With supply extremely limited and demand strong, Chevrolet dealers seem to be taking advantage of market conditions. An investigation found that prices ranged from $46,923 in Michigan...
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Hyundai has unveiled a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, dubbed the Tuscon iX FCEV, that will allow the automaker to explore another area of alternative fuel technology. With a total range of 403 miles (up from 230 previously), the Tuscon has some fairly good legs compared to the electric vehicles current marketed. Hyundai has also reduced...
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Last year, the Obama Administration heavily backed Detroit’s automakers with a big helping of government funding. The bail-out money that was partly provided to General Motors and Chrysler, was for these companies to develop and sell hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles. The end result was the hardly amazing Chevrolet Volt. However, the Obama...
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