Hybrid


LA 2009: BMW ActiveHybrids get North American debut; 7 Series model priced from $103,125

BMW took advantage of California's proclivity for greenwashing to give its ActiveHybrid models their North American debuts at the LA Auto Show. Just for good measure they also brought along the incredible Vision Efficient Dynamics sustainable supercar concept. While we know a great deal about BMW's first true hybrid, the X6 ActiveHybrid, from our first drive, we still had to admire its incredible combination of horsepower and technology, even if the mileage isn't really spectacular enough to warrant a truly green halo. The BMW 7 Series ... Read more →

LA 2009: Honda P-NUT concept gets cracked open Sebastian Blanco

Turns out that the Honda P-NUT is not some sort of twist on the UX-3 unicycle thing we saw in Tokyo recently. Instead, the concept vehicle is a three-seat thing enclosed in lots of glass and ...

LA 2009: All-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata to come in regular, turbo and hybrid Jonny Lieberman

Not counting full-size trucks, the meat-and-potatoes of the American car market remains the mid-size family sedan. For the past two decades, the undisputed kings of this particular segment have ...

LA 2009: Volkswagen Up! Lite Concept teases with practical, lightweight innovation Jonny Lieberman

Volkswagen has just taken the cover off an all-new concept called the Up! Lite, a sinister looking diesel hybrid that gets (according to VW) 70 mpg combined. As in both City and Highway. ...

GM confirms Chevrolet Volt to be introduced in California before nationwide rollout Noah Joseph

If environmentally-friendly transportation is your thing, there's no place like California. Not only is the state home base to Tesla – the first company to genuinely demonstrate that hugging ...

"Viridian Joule" picked as winner of Chevy Volt Paint Color Contest 2 days ago on Autoblog

The votes have been cast, the tallies tallied and the winner determined: Viridian Joule will be the official name of the silvery-green hue as seen on a slew of Chevrolet Volt marketing material for what seems like the last decade or so. So, um, what does Viridian Joule mean? We'll let the winner ...

REPORT: Initial Chevy Volt launch will be in select U.S. markets only 2 days ago on Autoblog

Undoubtedly, the 2011 Volt is one of the most hotly anticipated new model launches in Chevrolet's long and storied history, and it will likely be seen as a halo model of sorts for General Motors as a whole. As we experienced first hand when we slid behind the wheel of a preproduction Volt the ...

Spy Shots: Smart ForTwo+2 in the works? 2 days ago on Autoblog

Smart, the German-born automaker that revived the stagnant microcar market in the first place, has seen itself fall behind in the city car wars with Toyota's oh-so-clever iQ taking the top spot with its extra space for passengers and packages via its brilliant layout. What's more, new machines are ...

REPORT: Ratan Tata again confirms hybrid Tata Nano 3 days ago on Autoblog

Once again, Tata chairman Ratan Tata has confirmed via the South Korean Maeil Business Newspaper that his company intends to launch a hybrid version of the Nano. While it's impossible to know for sure, we'd imagine that starting off with the World's Least Expensive Automobile may very well equal ...

Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production 3 days ago on Autoblog

Three years ago this December we first walked into a Manhattan conference room for a background briefing on a new concept being developed by General Motors for the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. Earlier that year, the release of a documentary called Who Killed the Electric Car made the then largest ...

Cars & Coffee: Chevy shocks the crowd, brings Volt 5 days ago on Autoblog

General Motors shocked the crowd at Cars & Coffee this weekend by bringing out the 2011 Chevy Volt. Representatives on hand said this is the same car that will be on display at the LA Auto Show next week. They added that this is a pre-production model with a lot of development miles on it. ...

Rumormill: Toyota MR2 to be reborn with hybrid power 7 days ago on Autoblog

Tell us if this sounds familiar: Hybrids will kill the driver-oriented sportscar. It's the line taken by no small share of enthusiasts, and some of them are among us here at Autoblog. But the skeptics were silenced – or temporarily hushed, at least – when Honda took the wraps off of ...

VIDEO: Chevrolet Volt tests driver-controlled audio warning system with the blind 8 days ago on Autoblog

As the popularity of hybrids has grown over the last few years, advocates for the blind have been raising a red flag about noise, or -- more to the point -- the lack of it. Because electric-drive vehicles emit much lower levels of sound on the street, blind pedestrians who've relied on the noise ...

Top Gear builds Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust, an ER-EV to answer the Chevy Volt 8 days ago on Autoblog

Many electric vehicle fans out there are constantly complaining about how long it's taking automakers to bring plug-in vehicles to market. We've had commenters on this site claim that automakers should be able to bring EVs to the street in six months. Apparently even six months is too long for ...

REPORT: New Lexus small car may be headed for U.S. by 2012 - perhaps sooner 13 days ago on Autoblog

Lexus introduced its LF-Ch concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and it's believed to be a shoe-in for production for the European market. However, in a new Detroit Bureau interview with the brand's general manager, Mark Templin, it is confirmed that Lexus is seriously considering ...

Spy Shots: BMW 1 Series hybrid spotted in Munich 14 days ago on Autoblog

At the launch of the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid, officials acknowledged the automaker would be producing several additional hybrid models in the near future. Rumors have been floating around that the new 5 Series – due to launch in 2010 – will get the same mild hybrid system going into the ...

BMW prices the ActiveHybrid X6 starting at $89,725 14 days ago on Autoblog

For your hard-earned $89,725, you can have your pick of V8-powered BMW X6s. That substantial pile of dosh will secure you the keys to the Bavarian automaker's monster 555-horsepower X6 M or its new X6 ActiveHybrid. Unlike rival Mercedes-Benz which has opted to make its ML450 hybrid available ...

REPORT: Toyota U.S. president Lentz believes Prius could supplant Camry as brand's best seller 15 days ago on Autoblog

The Toyota Camry has been the best selling car in the US for 11 of the past 12 years, and only a total industry meltdown has managed to slow the Japanese automaker's bread-and-butter sedan. Even with that impediment, the Camry still has a comfortable lead versus its archrivals, the Honda Accord ...

Five Axis offers up Aerius body kit for 2010 Toyota Prius 15 days ago on Autoblog

If you don't win the charity auction for the Aemulus-modified Prius, but want something flashy for your 2010 model, take a look at the Aerius Prius that made its debut at SEMA this year (they're practically the same vehicle). The kit designed by Five Axis will, according to Gas 2.0, be available ...

Chevy Volt color contest finalists include EV-ergreen, environMINT and Viridian Joule [w/VIDEO] 17 days ago on Autoblog

As of this morning, Chevrolet is moving into the final stage of its Volt color naming contest. The company has picked three finalists from among the names submitted by 13,000 people over the last two weeks. Starting this morning, you can cast your vote for which of the finalists will win the ...

REPORT: Toyota Prius wagon, SUV in the works 17 days ago on Autoblog

Exactly how the Prius name might shift from defining the world's most famous hybrid to its own sub-brand – "Not!" – or moniker for other Toyota hybirds – "Yes!" – has been a source of interest for quite some time. The latest bit of speculation comes from the Yomiuri ...

Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid 4Matic not for sale, lease only 17 days ago on Autoblog

This week brings the official launch of the first European-branded vehicle equipped with the two-mode hybrid system that was co-developed between General Motors, Daimler, BMW and Chrysler. The Mercedes-Benz ML450 edges out the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid in getting to showrooms but it actually shares ...

Caveat Emptor: Columbus, Ohio dealer taking deposits on Volt 17 days ago on Autoblog

Fans of the Chevrolet Volt have been waiting patiently nearly three years now for the first extended-range electric vehicle to debut. One Columbus, Ohio area Chevrolet dealer is looking to take advantage of this eagerness by posting an auction on eBay Motors for its allocation of Volts. Jack ...

Buick Regal likely to be launch platform for next GM hybrid system 20 days ago on Autoblog

Last night, General Motors publicly unveiled the 2011 Buick Regal that goes on sale in North America in the first half of next year. The Regal will be Buick's new mid-sized sedan entry and is essentially just a re-grilled version of the Opel Insignia that went on sale in Europe last year. The ...

REPORT: Volkswagen Touareg successor headed for Detroit 21 days ago on Autoblog

January's North American International Auto Show (Detroit Auto Show) is expected to host the debut of Volkswagen's all-new third-generation Touareg SUV (the facelifted "second-gen" arrived in the States as a 2008 model). While details are few, rumor has it that VW will introduce its new Touareg ...

First Drive: 2010 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid is technologically impressive... but to what end? 22 days ago on Autoblog

BMW's pitch on how great the X6 ActiveHybrid is goes like this: it's the world's most powerful hybrid vehicle, fuel consumption is reduced about 20 percent compared to a similar vehicle without a hybrid drivetrain, and no matter what speed you're going, the incredibly complicated powertrain is ...

Lutz: High-performance Chevy Volt SS a "possibility" 23 days ago on Autoblog

Electric cars are for those who would rather drive slow, boring commuters that don't consume fossil fuels and therefore don't spew pollutants from their tailpipes. Gas-powered cars – and especially those wearing time-honored badges like SS, R/T or GT – are for those who prefer ...

BREAKING: Detroit News says GM will build Cadillac Converj 24 days ago on Autoblog

After much hemming and hawing, General Motors will reportedly build a version of the Cadillac Converj, the gorgeous but awkwardly named extended-range coupe concept first shown at last year's Detroit Auto Show. According to The Detroit News, the Converj will probably take a few years to reach ...

NHTSA study indicates hybrids have higher pedestrian crash rates 25 days ago on Autoblog

A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finds that hybrid vehicles are more likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians and bicyclists under certain scenarios. According to state-level accident data, 77 of 8,387 hybrid vehicles (that's .9 percent) were ...

Quieter Spirit: Rolls reportedly planning hybrid Ghost for 15% better economy 27 days ago on Autoblog

If you've been pondering getting on the list for a Rolls-Royce Ghost but you're hesitant because of the negative environmental impact (and social standing) of the big, beautiful boat's V12 engine, we've got good news for you. British site Autocar is reporting that a hybrid version of the Ghost is ...

SEMA 2009: Meet the world's most desirable Lexus RX450h by Branew 28 days ago on Autoblog

Let me be blunt: I don't like luxury crossovers. At all. It's a niche with no appeal to me whatsoever. Not a car, not a truck – just a fat sedan jacked up on stilts to woo trophy wives with fancy badges and reassure soccer mammas that their children are "safe." And the Lexus RX gets the ...

SEMA 2009: Progressive Automotive X-Prize Contenders 28 days ago on Autoblog

For those of you who follow our sister site AutoblogGreen regularly, you're very familiar with the Automotive X-Prize, the $10m challenge to produce viable and super fuel-efficient vehicles. For us polar ice cap haters, we generally think of the competitors in this kind of thing as a bunch of ...

Ferrari reportedly confirms all-wheel drive hybrid system 1 month ago on Autoblog

It's long been suspected that Ferrari was hard at work developing a hybrid powertrain for its line of supercars and grand touring machines, especially since a series of patents were unearthed proving that the Italian automaker had at least sketched plans for such a system. Still, Ferrari had ...

Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality 1 month ago on Autoblog

Stick with what you know. That seems to be Toyota's new mantra going forward, as the Japanese automaker has reportedly diverted its attention away from large trucks like the largely unsuccessful and slow-selling Tundra pickup and back on hybrid vehicles – possibly all wearing the Prius ...

GM awarded DOE money to research Shape Memory Alloy heat engines 1 month ago on Autoblog

General Motors has been awarded $2.7 million by the Department of Energy to create a working prototype engine using Shape Memory Alloys (SMA). The idea is for the prototype to use SMA tech to capture heat energy from engine exhaust gasses via an electric generator and transfer that energy to ...

REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big 1 month ago on Autoblog

Were you born somewhere between 1976 and the early 1990s? Are you the child of a so-called Baby Boomer? If so, you, like me, are a member of Generation Y. So, what does that mean? Well, nothing really, but it's a convenient way to classify a large chunk of the American population... and we ...

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Autoblog Podcast #155: 'Twas the night before LA...

Chris, Dan, and Editor Paukert go over some LA Preview action and quietly whoop it up on the podcast.

 
 

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