By Huw Evans
With the launch of its latest hybrid, the entry-level ES300h, Lexus is embarking on a different path when it comes to gasoline/electric vehicle technology. The ES300h is the first car from the brand that’s a full parallel hybrid, meaning that it can operate on pure electric power as well as gasoline and combined/gas electric propulsion. Previous Lexus hybrids, such as the LS600h and GS400h, relied on electric motors purely to boost power to the gasoline engine, with negligible gains in fuel economy.
First revealed at this year’s New York auto show, the 2013 ES300h uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine teamed with a version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive found in the Camry Hybrid to deliver 200 horsepower and fuel consumption of 39 miles per gallon combined.
read more
By Huw Evans
According to Sascha Simon, head of Advanced Product Planning at Mercedes-Benz USA, the company is on track to launch an updated B-Class F-Cell for 2015 in California, with a “regular” sedan slated to follow in 2017.
However, Mercedes-Benz is adamant that its fuel cell vehicles look and feel like regular passenger cars as much as possible, thus the sedan is likely to be a derivative of the E-Class. The reasoning is that customers are more likely to consider fuel cell vehicles if they’re familiar with the shape and form of the car, despite its method of propulsion.
read more
By Huw Evans
While many governments around the world have actively encouraged motorists to switch to greener forms of transportation, a prominent Think Tank in the United Kingdom says they could cost in other ways.
More specifically, a study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and commissioned by the UK’s Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Foundation has said efficient vehicles could blow a huge hole in official revenue collection.
read more
By Philippe Crowe
Chevrolet declared that Volt owners have now collectively saved a supertanker of gasoline.
According to Chevrolet, since the electric car with extended range went on sale, Volt owners have compiled 40 million miles on electricity and avoided the use of more than 2.1 million gallons of gasoline. Based on $3.80 per gallon of gas, this means total savings at the pump of almost $8 million.
read more
By Philippe Crowe
Coda Automotive, manufacturer of the all-electric Coda, delivered its first fleet vehicle yesterday.
The sale of the first fleet-destined Coda sedan was made to AEP Ohio, a unit of American Electric Power. The utility, which delivers electricity to more than 5 million people in 11 states, is incorporating the 2012 Coda into its fleet as a part of a demonstration project to learn more about electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
read more
By Philippe Crowe
FedEx Express’ fleet is closing-in quicker than expected on its 2020 fuel usage reduction goal.
FedEx Express vehicle fleet is now 16.6 percent more fuel efficient through FY2011 than it was in 2005; well on its way to reach early the company’s goal to make its vehicle fleet 20-percent more fuel efficient by 2020.
read more
By Jeff Cobb
This week Greenpeace has been amplifying the public relations volume against General Motors, Ford, BMW, Nissan, and other U.S. based automakers in a repeat of allegations that Brazilian slave labor is tainting their respective steel product supply chains.
Allegations also are that illegal logging and related fraud continue largely unabated in Brazil despite automakers having previously acknowledged said issues, and having shown themselves to have taken steps to remove slave-supplied labor from any tier of their raw materials supply.
read more
By Huw Evans
Does life begin at 40? Well, if you’re referring to automotive life and 40 as in miles per gallon, until recently that probably wasn’t the case. Cars designed for sipping fuel were generally about as exciting as hanging wallpaper.
But, as automakers feel increasing pressure to deliver more fuel-thrifty cars – ones that don’t sacrifice driving excitement – the notion of Fun at 40 is something that’s becoming more and more a reality.
And in an effort to find out just how fun it could be, this April we found ourselves trading glum North Eastern skies for the sunny, balmy climes of South Florida on a road trip from Miami to the southernmost point in the Lower 48, namely Key West.
In order to get there we needed a car and although we could have opted for a flashy convertible, this being HybridCars.com; a more appropriate mode of transportation was Kia’s Optima Hybrid sedan.
read more
By Jeff Cobb
While some U.S.-based aftermarket startups are offering high-five-figure hybrid powertrain retrofits, an Indian original-equipment (OE) automotive supply firm is preparing to launch a simple $1,300-$3,500 bolt-on plug-in parallel hybrid system for the masses.
Having proven its effectiveness in testing so far, the prototype system called “Revolo” is being developed by KPIT Cummins as a gas- or diesel-engine add-on, first for the Indian market, but North American, European and Asian automakers have also already expressed interest in the system.
read more
By Philippe Crowe
La Brea Bakery announced yesterday it will be rolling out four new electric trucks in Los Angeles to deliver the bakery’s fresh baked loaves, rolls and baguettes.
The trucks, designed by Smith Electric Vehicles Corp., have a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge. The model chosen is Smith’s Newton model, in box configuration, powered by a 134 kilowatt-hour (180bhp), 480 pound-feet of torque, brushless permanent magnet motor. Specifications for the Newton can be accessed here.
read more
