The new Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept is cool—but Subaru fans are losing patience with the company’s hybrid promises. If ever there was an automotive brand that embodied the spirit of hybrid cars—urban, progressive, outdoorsy, family-oriented—it would be Subaru. Furthermore, Toyota, the hybrid leader, owns 16 percent of Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars.
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The list of automotive brands showing electric or plug-in hybrids at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show reads like an auto industry A – Z: Audi, BMW, Citroën, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, Smart, Toyota, Volvo, Volkswagen… Are plug-in cars the latest fashion for an industry needing to green-up its image? Or is the
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Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the maker of Subaru cars, announced plans this week to introduce a gas-electric hybrid car by 2012. Fuji Heavy will rely on Toyota, which owns a 16 percent stake in the company, to help with vehicle development and technology. In 2005, Subaru unveiled a sporty two-seat hybrid concept car, the Subaru
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Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO of Nissan, unveiled the company’s five-year business plan on Tuesday. The plan—called “Nissan GT 2012” with the G and T signifying growth and trust—puts a major emphasis on electric vehicles. Hybrid and EV fans responded with a chant in unison: “Bring it on.” But green car enthusiasts also engaged their
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The 2008 New York Auto Show, opening this week, will mostly focus on model redesigns—while pushing hybrids and other fuel-sipping models to the margins. There’s one notable exception: the show will feature a number of electric vehicles, including the Nissan Denki Cube, Subaru R1e, and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. In recent years, automakers have used major
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