To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Chevrolet Volt was awarded the 2011 North American Car of the Year. “It’s a great honor to be recognized as the North American Car of the Year,” said GM CEO Dan Akerson after being handed the award at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. “Since...
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Ford has just revealed two more examples of what kind of future the automaker is planning. Debuting at the Detroit Auto Show, the C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi (plug-in hybrid) clearly show the Blue Oval’s plan to expand the electrification of the vehicle, while also enforcing its position that the compact car is the way...
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However the official line from Renault, is that the three employees accused of leaking the information, are still regarded only as suspects, with no formal charges yet announced against them.
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Amidst a sea of smart phones and 3D TVs, Ford has unveiled its new Focus Electric model at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Set to take on both the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, the Focus Electric is the first zero-emissions passenger car from the Blue Oval and follows the launch of the...
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You might not find a crowd more receptive to electric cars than at the Consumer Electronics Show and so its no surprise that during his keynote address Audi CEO Rupert Stadler made his grand entrance behind the wheel of the company’s e-Tron Spyder. Audi is continuing to keep the focus on its electric car efforts...
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Ahead of the debut of the Ford Focus Electric at the Consumer Electronic Show today, Ford has announced a new smartphone App designed to connect owners with the company’s new zero-emissions car. Similar in many ways to GM’s Chevy Volt OnStar App, the MyFord Mobile app will let owners of the Focus Electric keep tabs...
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If you’re the competitive type and you own a Nissan Leaf, there’s a new way to come out a winner. Nissan Leaf drivers can now be wirelessly connected to a ranking system that scores your driving efficiency. Nissan’s Carwings system started out in Japan but is now available here in North American. It connects all...
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Not one to let its long-time rival capitalize on every niche, Mercedes-Benz is apparently working on a small city car to rival BMW’s MegaCity project. Although only sketches and clay models exist, a possible synergy with the Smart brand could exist, especially in light of the brand’s recent foray into electric vehicles. The vehicle’s styling...
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With perhaps more in common with a smart phone than with the gasoline engine in your common car, it’s appropriate that Ford will debut its new Focus EV at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Just over a year ago, Ford first confirmed it would begin production of an electric Focus model, based...
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Tesla‘s Model S Sedan will be profitable for the company, even at lower volumes thanks to its cheaper batteries. While Tesla says it only needs 20,000 vehicles a year to make money, whereas competitors like Nissan need to move 500,000 units annually to amortize the R&D costs of their EV systems. Tesla’s battery systems are...
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Thanks to a forum member on TeamSpeed, we have some video, not to mention some rather impressive photos, of BMW‘s EfficientDynamics Concept hitting the track in Abu Dhabi. Painted mostly in silver, it’s likely the same car as the while model that first debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2009 and has been touring...
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Sales of both the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars were insignificant in the month of December. Due to the slow ramp-up of production volumes, it’s still unclear how much long-term demand for EVs there is. In December GM sold less than 350 Chevy Volts, while Nissan moved just 10 Leaf models in the...
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Chances are, if you own an electric car are or thinking of buying one, you’d pass on a fat-filled, processed McCardiac Arrest in favor of a ‘tasty’ granola bar. But would you stop at a McDonald’s to charge up your EV? (They do offer salads, after all). That’s what a Micky D’s in West Virginia...
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Fans of the BMW 8-Series grand tourer may be slightly disheartened to hear that the new eco-sports car coming from the Bavarian mark will wear the legendary designation that once adorned the Teutonic barges of the early 1990s. Of course, internet-land rumors can only go so far, and some reasoned analysis can always help sift...
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Tesla Motors share price feel by roughly 15 percent Monday as company insiders rushed to dump their shares after the expiration of a 180 day limit on selling their stock holdings. The shares being sold were previously not available on the open market, and were reportedly offered to investors and other insiders as a form...
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General Motors is working on a plan to more than triple sales of electric cars in the near future says company CEO Dan Akerson. According to a report by Automotive News, Akerson wants to reach this goal by the middle of the decade. Arguably, tripling sales of GM’s current EVs (ie. the Chevy Volt) wouldn’t...
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At the recent U.N. Climate Change Conference, the announcement to launch an all-electric racing series was made. The new series will be called Formulec EF01. This new series will be performed on tracks around the world and in terms of performance will rival the current FIA Formula-3 series, which uses 2.0-liter gas engines. The new...
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The project is expected to create enough material for use in under the hood, primarily for the plastic radiator foil to improve airflow around the car and cover the entire first year production of the Volt, which is pegged at approximately 10,000 cars.
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Jay Leno might be best known as a late night talk show host, but to automotive enthusiasts he’s regarded as a genuine car guy – and one that just happens to have millions of dollars to spend on his hobby. But instead of packing his garage full of rare Ferraris or the latest Bugatti (even...
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Tesla Motors announced that 3,000 people have submitted their deposits for a Model S sedan. Slated to go into production in 2011, Tesla also announced that crash testing and other necessities will begin next year, with deliveries starting in 2012. So far, Tesla has sold 1,400 Roadsters, and is helping automakers like Toyota and Mercedes-Benz...
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BYD, the Chinese automaker backed by American investment magnate Warren Buffet, has delayed plans to bring their B6 electric car to America to better engineer the car for American tastes. The Wall Street Journal, having spoken to a BYD representative, claims that, “the holdup was caused by BYD’s efforts to make the car roomier, especially...
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With General Motors recently announcing plans to increase production of the Volt, it now appears poised to bring that revolutionary technology to even more consumers through varied packages. Recently GM applied for trademarks on the Amp and Strobe – with the Amp rumored to be a production version of the Volt MPV5 concept, itself based...
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Hot on the heels of Mitsubishi’s joint venture announcement with Nissan comes word that the Japanese conglomerate is developing all of their future products with the ability to use hybrid or electric drive technology. Mitsubishi’s German spokesman, Helmut Bauer, would only give a cryptic statement to a German magazine, claiming that “Every new car we...
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Finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year have been announced, with Chrysler dominating the truck field, and electric vehicles comprising 2/3rds of the car category. The Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee, both built on the same platform, were nominated in the truck category, as well as the re-designed Ford Explorer....
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