Magnussen’s Toyota of Palo Alto, Calif., took the bold step of starting to take $500 deposits for 2010 plug-in Priuses—even before a grid-capable Prius has been announced as an official product. Eric Doebert, business development manager for Magnussen’s, said, "It makes sense that people should get in line now in order to have a shot of even taking delivery in the first year that the vehicle is available."
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers launched an initiative called "EcoDriving” yesterday, to educate Americans about how to reduce fuel consumption and cut carbon dioxide emissions by changing driving habits. But the initiative was met with skepticism by environmentalists, who assert that the campaign throws a smoke screen over the industry’s slow move toward fuel-saving vehicles.
Now that gas prices are sliding back down, one national survey found that car buyers already are rethinking their new obsession with high-mileage little cars. Edmunds.com research found that in July truck owners dramatically reduced the extent to which they cross-shopped in the other major vehicle segments—cars, crossovers and hybrids—compared with June. SUV owners were also fickle, but to a lesser extent.
If you’re excited enough about plug-in hybrids to start shopping for one, you may need to reset your expectations. Despite all the media attention about plug-in hybrids, it’s still not yet possible for an individual consumer to buy one. In the meantime, there are a growing number of companies that will convert your plain-old hybrid into a plug-in hybrid. Check out our updated list of conversion companies.
Europeans are far ahead of North Americans in eco-awareness, and it’s most evident at auto shows. This year’s London show, July 23 to August 3, is a perfect example; despite the UK’s traditional abundance of small supercar-makers and its luxury brands, the popular market seems now to be all about green cars—specifically those with low carbon emissions, or electric cars with no emissions at all.
Every American knows what “fuel mileage” is—especially these days. Whether it’s the EPA test results on the window sticker, or the actual mileage you figured out for your car, we’re all asking: How many miles can we go on a gallon of fuel? In Europe and Asia though, fuel efficiency is measured by how many liters of gas it takes to go 100 kilometers. So what's the difference? A new study released by Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business sheds some light on why "miles per gallon" is inferior to "fuel consumption."
This week, Toyota will raise the price of a few of its cars, including a $400 hike on the Toyota Prius and a bump on the Camry Hybrid by $300. But in the past four weeks, the average price of regular gasoline increased by almost 30 cents a gallon. Therefore, in actual ownership costs, the price of Toyota hybrids is cheaper this week than it was a month ago. Welcome to the new hybrid math.
Ford plans to use diesel engine technology to keep its big trucks competitive with rivals using a mix of hybrids and diesels. The auto industry’s shift to greater efficiency is occurring throughout entire product lines—including the largest vehicles on the market.
A survey from AAA, released this week, suggests that gas mileage has become the number one consideration for American consumers in choosing a new vehicle. Have we reached a tipping point?
The national average price for gasoline rose 9 cents over the last two weeks, beginning a surge predicted to bring $4-per-gallon prices in the coming months. But some analysts believe that $4 prices at the pump must be sustained for a long period in order to yield significant changes in driving or car-buying patterns.
