Yesterday BMW launched the Electronaut Effect, a digital tool giving consumers access to key aggregated data about the range, cost savings and positive environmental impact that actual BMW ActiveE drivers – called “Electronauts” – are experiencing across the country. BMW said this unfiltered information, updated weekly, will help inform consumers’ decision about purchasing an electric
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On the whole, hybrid drivers tend to be pretty attentive to the driving habits that can help them squeeze as many miles per gallon out of their cars’ official EPA ratings as possible. Now, a new study suggests that all car owners should take care follow to proper eco-driving practices, and that failing to do
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Goodyear has announced that it is developing a self-inflating tire. In a press release, the Akron-based tire giant trumpeted what it is calling its Air Maintenance Technology, which incorporates pressure gauges and a miniaturized pump inside of each tire to ensure proper inflation at all times. “While the technology is complex, the idea behind the
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Citing desire to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, the Obama administration is continuing to push hard to increase the U.S. fleet-wide mpg standards required in just a few years from now. Ongoing negotiations between the White House and auto industry are now centered on a proposed 56.2 mpg Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard for
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The 2010 Toyota Prius and 2011 Chevy Volt use a Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max, while the Nissan LEAF comes equipped with the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422. Hybrid and electric car engineers go to great efforts to maximize the efficiency of drivetrains, components and vehicle design. What’s less known is that they require tire makers to create
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Smaller engines, turbo-charging, and lighter weight add up to big fuel economy gains, even without a hybrid system. There was a time when automakers could meet fuel efficiency standards by shifting to smaller cars. No longer. Thanks to the so-called “footprint formula” used to establish higher fuel efficiency standards, automakers will need to make big
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Last week, the U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) stopped Porsche from running an ad claiming that the new Cayenne S Hybrid “can even travel to a speed of 37 mph without using its V6 petrol engine.” The agency believes the 37 mph claim is misleading because the vehicle travels only for a limited time and
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Tires are usually seen as a functional part of a vehicle that allows it to smoothly move down the road. As the environmental equation of automobiles becomes a bigger deal, tires are increasingly viewed as a key component that can play a critical role in increasing efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, “eco” tires
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General Motors sees the upcoming Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid as perhaps the best example of the company’s technical prowess—and as a powerful symbol of the company’s ability to turn itself around. At last month’s Chicago Auto Show, GM added another dimension to the Volt story: the push for suppliers to develop energy-saving components in every
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Many of today’s hybrid drivers keep a close eye on the fuel economy reading on the dashboard. Instantaneous MPG readings provide essential feedback about the effects of toes tapping on the accelerator, extended stretches of coasting, and easing on the brakes. But the new generation of fuel efficiency dashboard displays takes hybrid geekiness to a
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