As more details trickle out in advance of the Lexus CT200h launch (which Autoguide will be attending in the next few weeks) and Lexus has just announced some of the various safety features available on the Lexus hybrid hatchback. The CT200h has the usual alphabet soup of ABS, Electronic Brake Force distribution (EBD), Brake Assist...
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Mazda is betting that their new lineup of SKY direct injection gasoline and diesel engines will help raise the company’s fleet fuel economy by 30% by 2015. Mazda, which has long refrained from hybrid cars, claims that the next generation 2015 Mazda3 with a SKY-G gasoline engine and a Sky-Drive 6-speed automatic will get 40...
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The Flintstones started off in 1960 and portrayed life in the Stone Age where cars were simply powered by your feet. The jokes are plentiful and anyone that’s ever done a swap on a car or gutted one out has sure to step inside their engine bay and pretend to run in order to power...
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Toyota has just announced a pedestrian warning system for its Toyota Prius hybrids that will be available as a dealer installed option in Japan. The system, which costs $148, will engage below 15 mph and change its tone based on vehicle speed. The noise is said to be a synthesized sound that’s designed to emulate the whirring...
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Lotus is readying plans to build two Evora hybrids but is waiting on funding for the project from the Technology Strategy Board, a publicly funded think tank in the United Kingdom. The prototypes, known as the Evora 414E range extending hybrid, will go forward, with at least one being built. However Lotus needs additional funding...
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British car maker Morgan, long known for its quirky, retro sports cars based around wooden frames, is propelling itself into the 21st century with two new sports cars, including a diesel-electric hybrid, a first for the fiercely traditional car maker. Morgan designer Matt Humphries said that the vehicle would be called the LIFEcar 2 and...
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After months of nothing but static shots of Porsche‘s 918 Spyder hybrid, there is finally real proof that the car is capable of moving under its own power. While we only see the 918 Spyder driving for a couple short moments, the 3.4L V8 makes an interesting sound at low revs, sounding a bit like...
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In honor of the 10th anniversary of Toyota Prius sales in the United States, Toyota is holding a contest to find the “most passionate Prius fan in the United States”, who will then have the privilege of hosting the Prius’ 10th anniversary celebration in their hometown. The Toyota press release asks owners “Are you a fuel-efficient hyper-miler,...
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While we’ve been paying so much attention to Toyota’s Prius and Honda’s upcoming CR-Z in terms of aftermarket modifications, it’s easy to overlook that there are more than just sport compact hybrids running around on the streets. For those that still yearn for the luxury and comfort of an SUV, Porsche’s Cayenne S Hybrid is...
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In a perverse insight into how the world works, a study conducted by the British Columbia Automotive Association has concluded that the only hybrid that pays back its owners with any kind of economic benefit is the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid. According to the BCAA, the study takes into account how much one pays for the...
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Despite reports that Chevrolet‘s Volt hybrid is capable of only running on premium gas, it turns out that the car is capable of running on regular gas…sort of. A GM spokesman told Autoblog Green that the Volt is equipped with a knock sensor like most every other car on the market. If regular gas is...
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Ward’s Auto is reporting via their Twitter feed that Hyundai North America President and CEO John Krafcik told reporters that their North American arm will have a fleet average fuel economy rating of 50 mpg by 2025. Hyundai is currently planning the launch of their first hybrid, the Sonata Hybrid, for this fall, with more...
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Hybrid tuning is about to take on a whole new face now that Honda‘s CR-Z has hit the market. Tjin Edition has been building plenty of SEMA showpieces including their most recent Chevrolet Camaro, and this year they have teamed up with Fortune Motorsports out of Miami, Florida and American Honda Motor Corporation for this...
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The yellow Ford Crown Victoria taxi is so common in New York City that it’s almost an icon just like the Yankees or the Empire State Building. As Crown Victoria production winds down, cab drivers are digging in their heels in the city’s bid to replace the big, rear drive V8 powered sedans with hybrids...
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Everyone’s favorite blowhard talk radio host tore into the Chevrolet Volt, criticizing it as a product that “nobody wants”. Rush Limbaugh, the infamous talk radio host, mocked General Motors as “Obama Motors” and criticized its range as well as its $41,000 sticker price. Limbaugh criticized the $7,500 tax credit offered by the government, stating that...
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Porsche has green-lit their hybrid supercar concept, the 918 Spyder, for production. The 918 Spyder, able to get 78 mpg while hitting 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, is expected to cost $630,000 by the time it hits the streets. We wonder if the much hyped $7,500 tax credit will apply, but when you’re this deep...
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Shortly after announcing the pricing and specs for the Chevrolet Volt, General Motors has put a Youtube video up on the video sharing site touting the features and benefits of GM’s new plug-in hybrid. We’ll spare you a recap of the video but we’ve embedded it into the post below the jump. You can already...
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General Motors has announced that their Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid will be priced at $41,000 when it goes on sale later in November 2010. The Volt is also entitled to a $7,500 tax credit given to buyers of electric vehicles, which brings the price down to $33,500. The MSRP includes a $720 destination charge. Fully...
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General Motors just sent us this sparse press release to let us know that Chevrolet Volt pricing is being announced tomorrow at 12 noon EST. We know that the government will be chipping in with a $7,500 tax credit if you buy a Volt, but beyond that, it’s anybodies guess as to how much it...
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Porsche has confirmed that electric prototypes of their Boxster model are currently being evaluated by the company. The Boxster prototypes give a clue to the company’s direction with alternative fuel projects, as Porsche moves from experimenting with hybrid vehicles into fully electric cars. “We will definitely be offering an electric sports car in future. But...
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Anticipating a drop in demand, Toyota will begin cutting domestic output starting in October. The sluggish demand is being blamed on the end of a subsidy given out by the Japanese government for purchasing an environmentally friendly vehicle. While Toyota currently makes about 14,000 vehicles per day, output will fall to under 12,000 vehicles, but...
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A former GM employee and her husband have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit in an industrial spying case. Ex-GM worker Shanshan Du and her husband Yu Qin are accused of photocopying thousands of documents relating to hybrid vehicle technology. Prosecutors allege that the couple attempted to pass the documents on to...
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Lincoln‘s MKZ Hybrid will be priced identical to the least expensive V6, giving consumers a strong incentive to opt for the 2.5L four-cylinder hybrid. The hybrid retails for #35,180, the same sticker as the front-drive V6 model, and a few hundred dollars less than a Lexus HS250h. The MKZ, based on Ford’s much acclaimed Fusion...
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Prince Charles is shutting down The Mall in London to display environmentally friendly vehicles for 10 days in September. The Prince is not only a keen environmentalist but a collector of Aston Martins and other sports cars, and the nexus of both conservation and automobiles is an appropriate area of interest for him. The Prince...
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