Carmakers

Plug-in Prius Deposits Refunded

Less than a month after a dealer starting taking deposits for delivery of plug-in hybrid Priuses, that dealer is now returning them to the customers. Toyota clamped down on the plan, which the dealer—Magnussen’s Toyota of Palo Alto, Calif.—said was simply a way of responding to customers who wanted to make sure they were first in line for the promised plug-ins.

Chrysler's Electric Cars Get Closer to Production

Jim Press, Chrysler president and vice chairman, told Hybridcars.com that his company’s electric vehicles are “closer to production than you think.” He also took a stab at General Motors, suggesting that the Chevy Volt is a "PR stunt."

Detroit Electric Returns, Again

The story in yesterday’s Detroit Free Press sounded promising: A new electric car maker, with a revolutionary new electric motor, would revive the venerable Detroit Electric brand and start selling electric cars by the end of next year. The article didn’t point out, however, that Detroit Electric had already been revived once, by a California electric car company with a controversial history.

Toyota Speeds Up Plug-In Prius, Chevy Counter-Punches

Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe told reporters in Tokyo yesterday that fleet tests of an experimental Prius, modified to be rechargeable, will be moved up to late next year from 2010. Bob Lutz, General Motors product czar, told reporters at a press event that its plug-in hybrid, the Chevy Volt, “wasn’t even comparable” to a Prius converted to plug into the electric grid. The race continues.

Chevrolet Cruze on the Way

General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner revealed a full-size foam model of the new Chevrolet Cruze last week. GM announced that it will invest $500 million to build the all-new global compact car that will replace the Chevy Cobalt in the United States. The automaker calls it “the first of an all-new generation of fuel-efficient small cars.”

Peugeot RC Hybrid Concept to Show in Paris

At the 2006 Paris auto show, Peugeot unveiled its 908 RC full-size sedan concept. That vehicle was a showcase of luxury and high-performance, utilizing the company's 700-horsepower Le Mans V12 diesel. Two years—and an oil price shock—later, Peugeot will return to the Paris show with another RC concept vehicle. This time, it’s a hybrid.

Few Americans Celebrating Lower Gas Prices

Retail gasoline prices dropped for the 34th consecutive day on Tuesday, hitting a summer low of $3.73 per gallon. Supply and demand curves in auto and gasoline markets are squeezing Americans between declining gas prices, reduced consumption (on pace to decline for the first time in 17 years), sustained interest in smaller cars, and rising nerves about when the price of gasoline could spike above $4 once again.

Industry Study: Hybridization to be Norm By 2020

“All vehicles in 2020 will have some level of hybridization.” The statement is blunt and to the point. It might be dismissed as idle speculation until you see the source.

Nobody Knows How To Market an Eco Car

Now that more than one million hybrids have been sold, one might think that automakers have figured out how to sell environmentally friendly vehicles. Think again. Based on current marketing moves and machinations, no single technique has emerged as the winning tactic. Case in point: Eco sub-brands being trotted out by Renault and Peugeot.

Honda's Fight for Hybrid Market Begins April 2009

The new Honda hybrid will hit dealer showrooms in April 2009. That’s the official word from Honda about the hybrid-specific yet-to-be named hybrid—designed to take the Prius head-on in the battle for the hybrid market.