The range-extended plug-in hybrid has a lot going for it.
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The Toyota Prius has been completely redesigned for the new model year and of the half-dozen models competing in our annual Car of the Year battle royale, it’s one of, if not the most, efficient.
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The 2016 Toyota Prius Review is no sports car, but it is still a fuel sipper.
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While Chevrolet is readying a diesel version of their Cruze compact in 2013, an interesting tidbit of information leaked out regarding another gas-saving variant of the Cruze – a plug-in hybrid model. Australia’s GoAuto reports that the Cruze will be a traditional plug-in hybrid, where the engine and hybrid system work in tandem, rather than...
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BMW and Toyota are in talks for a technology sharing agreement, one that would reportedly see BMW provide Toyota with a diesel engine for its midsize cars in Europe. Specific timetables and other details were not announced, but Toyota is believed to be pursuing the deal to help offset the increased cost of importing Japanese-built...
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The BMW 5-Series ActiveHybrid will make its debut at this December’s Tokyo Auto Show, featuring BMW’s familiar twin-turbo I6 engine and an electric motor that will produce a total output of 340 horsepower. Backed by an 8-speed automatic, the car will be able to operate in pure electric mode up to 37 mph. The ActiveHybrid’s...
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This may look like a BMW 7-Series sedan with some oddball rims, but our spy photographers report that the vehicle in question is actually a prototype for a new BMW i sedan, based on a couple key points. For starters, there are apparently electric motors mounted in the wheel hubs, which would suggest a new...
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The Chevrolet Volt will be able to qualify for California’s High Occupancy Vehicle lanes in 2012, after General Motors announced the availability of a Low Emissions Package for their hybird-electric car. With traffic congestion in California a major annoyance for motorists, the ability to use the HOV lane – via one of the state’s 40,000...
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Toyota will add another vehicle to the Prius lineup shortly, with the upcoming Prius c subcompact. Intended to be the entry point into the Prius range, the Prius c will supposedly get over 50 mpg in the city. Technology will also be at the forefront of the Prius c, which comes with an integrated app...
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A fire involving a Chevrolet Volt that had undergone government crash testing has led to authorities investigating the possibility of requiring emergency responders to drain the batteries of electric and hybrid vehicles following a collision. A Volt that underwent a 20 mph side-impact crash test caught on fire several weeks later, causing the Volt as...
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A Chevrolet Volt that went through crash-testing at a NHTSA facility in Wisconsin caught on fire three weeks after the test, prompting action from U.S. regulators. While the investigation hasn’t been made public, sources told Bloomberg that the fire was severe enough to damage surrounding vehicles. An incident also occurred at a private home in North Carolina,...
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A new continuously-variable transmission, a supercharged 2.5L four-cylinder engine and an front-drive hybrid system should all arrive on the new Nissan Altima for 2013, helping Nissan stay competitive in an increasingly tough segment. The hybrid drivetrain will be similar to that used on the Infiniti M Hybrid, but adapted for front-wheel drive vehicles. The new...
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Although our German isn’t too great, Auto Motor und Sport, the automotive publication of record in Germany, is reporting that the Hyundai i30, also known as the Elantra Touring, will get a plug-in hybrid version in 2013. Hyundai has hinted at a competitor to the Toyota Prius before, and the i30, designed with the ultra-competitive...
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2012 is going to be a big year for Ferrari, with two major product launches at the upper-end of the Italian supercar manufacturer’s model range. Ferrari will be bringing out replacements for its now defunct Enzo supercar and its 599GTB grand tourer. The Enzo successor will have carbon fiber construction and a midship V12, as...
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Following in the footsteps of the Aston Martin Cygnet, Lotus will introduce their own City Car, apparently dubbed the Ethos, in late 2013. First unveiled at the 2010 Paris Auto Show, the Ethos will be powered by a hybrid powertrain or possibly a fully electric system like the Nissan Leaf. The concept used a 1.2L...
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Ford‘s designs have come a long way over the last decade, with practically their entire lineup looking sharp and attractive – but the Ford Evos Concept has just managed to move the bar substantially higher. Revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Evos looks like something that would have a V12 under the...
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We’re sure there are legions of fans excited to hear that the 2013 Lexus GS450h will bow at September’s Frankfurt Auto Show – maybe not. Either way, the GS450h should be an important product for Lexus, as both the originator of the luxury hybrid segment, and a critical new introduction in a market that is...
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With the Vatican looking to expand their use of green technology, the next generation Popemobile is reportedly set to employ hybrid technology, although His Holiness would reportedly prefer a fully electric vehicle powered by solar panels. The new Popemobile will be based off the next-generation Mercedes ML-Class, and used a hybrid system with a 10kw...
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Less than a day after releasing their GRMN Sport Hybrid Concept, Toyota has announced specs for their sporty new concept, the first vehicle we’ve seen from the brand since the MR2 sports car bowed out earlier in the decade. Using a 3.5-liter Type 2GR-FXE V6 engine that produces 249 horsepower, the front-mounted electric motor adds another...
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Fisker Automotive is looking to hire 120 workers at its newly refurbished Delaware plant as the company gears up for its second electric vehicle, a sedan code-named Project Nina. Although the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid has still not gone on sale, Fisker is looking to hire assembly line workers as well as engineering staff and electro-mechanical...
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The 2012 Chevrolet Volt will now be available in all 50 states, priced at $39,995, including an $850 destination charge. The price reduction comes as in-dash navigation is now offered as part of an option package rather than standard. Some customers will qualify for a $7,500 tax credit, bringing the effective price to $32,495. The...
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Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby announced that the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid will come to the U.S. by 2014, with one major difference. While the European market V60 will use a diesel-electric hybrid system, the United States will get a gasoline-powered variant. Jacoby said that the V60 has a target U.S. launch date of 2013 or...
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Ford will sell its C-Max minivan as a hybrid model only, in an effort to further compete with hybrid offerings like the Toyota Prius V, Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, which are all offered in 5-door bodystyles. The C-Max will come only in a 5-seater configuration, with hybrid and plug-in hybrid variations offered. Ford originally...
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Hyundai will apparently launch a competitor to the Toyota Prius in 2013, but the new hybrid Hyundai will be a plug-in hybrid vehicle from the get-go, unlike its Japanese rival, which is slowly rolling out its own plug-in variant. While the news came from an anonymous source within Hyundai, the Korean automaker is making a...
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