Mike Howard wants Elk Horn, Iowa, to play a role in the nation's future in electric cars. "We have a dream about electric vehicles and we're going to make that a reality," he said. Anticipating an electric car revolution, Howard invested $30,000 to install four charging stations in Elk Horn, despite the fact that the small town currently has exactly one electric car—a Chevrolet S-10 pickup that Howard himself converted to run on batteries.
Nearly 10 years since the first hybrids hit US roads, BMW and Mercedes both announced pricing this week for their first gas-electric hybrids arriving in showrooms this month. The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 will sell for $89,725. The Mercedes ML 450 Hybrid will only be offered on a lease of $659 a month for 36 months, or $549 a month for 60 months.
The auto industry’s race for cars that use less petroleum and spew fewer emissions has multiple technology pathways. Major global automakers are now aligning into one of two camps. The “Either/Or” carmakers choose one technology and run with it, while the “Portfolio” guys market multiple technologies all at once.
Does the Aptera futuristic three-wheeled vehicle have a chance to succeed in the real-world market? Or is it destined to become another visionary, but entirely impractical vehicle, much like Buckminster Fuller’s 1933 three-wheeled Dymaxion Car? In recent days, it appears that the visionary reach of Aptera's founders may have exceeded their grasp.
In recent months, sky-high mile-per-gallon ratings have been bandied about for some upcoming electric vehicles. Skeptics point out that swapping oil-based gasoline for coal-based electricity just moves pollution around, without reducing it much if at all. Perhaps the best apple-to-apples comparison is provided by the Mini Cooper electric and gasoline stable mates. We do the math.
One hundred percent of car sales will be zero emission vehicles in 2050. That’s the vision of the California Air Resources Board, explained in a meeting in late October to review the state's zero emission vehicle (ZEV) strategy. The agency calculated where the statewide vehicle fleet should be to meet the state’s greenhouse gas reduction targets in 2050—then worked backwards.
The annual SEMA show, the ultimate pimp-your-ride Las Vegas extravaganza, wrapped up last week. The crazy body mods, garish oversized wheels, onboard big screen TVs, and high-horsepower antics got us thinking about what aftermarket products make sense for our mild-mannered hybrids. Check out our top seven nominees for the top hybrid accessories.
Global automakers are racing to supply small cheap cars to the Indian market. But producing a quality vehicle at unprecedented low prices point is proving difficult. Problems have plagued Tata's Nano, currently the world's cheapest car at $2,500. Nissan's planned microcar, expected to sell for about $3,000, is due to arrive in 2012, a year later than planned.
Chrysler is killing its dedicated electric car program. General Motors is moving forward with its sleek electric-drive Caddy. What do these two news flashes tell us about Detroit’s prospects in the bold new era of EVs and plug-in hybrids? And what about that other Detroit car company?
As we approach the end of 2009—the worst year for overall auto sales in decades—the picture for this year’s hybrid sales becomes clearer. Hybrids are dramatically outperforming the market as a whole. Incentive programs like Cash for Clunkers, as well as factory incentives, uneven inventory, changes in gas prices and new model introductions have skewed sales numbers up and down in recent months. But the auto industry’s movement toward fuel efficiency and hybrids is regaining momentum.
