The electric vehicles market has become one of the most watched segments as the world begins to favor fuel economy over other more speed-related aspects of a car. While start-ups such as Tesla and Fisker are already offering electric sports cars, other segments of the electric vehicle market remain wide open. A new Northern Californian […]
Toyota is looking to take advantage of the green image its Prius petrol-electric hybrid vehicle enjoys by building upon the ‘Prius’ name and launching a new family of eco-friendly vehicles under it. Japanese execs have mentioned in the past that such an idea was under consideration and latest reports confirm the next-generation Prius, due to […]
With no end in sight to rising fuel prices, Americans more than ever are switching from fuel-heavy SUVs and sporty V8s to economical four-cylinder sedans and compacts. Fuel economy has quickly become the top priority for new car buyers and according to a new survey nearly eight in ten Americans (79%) would choose a car […]
Mercedes-Benz is confident it will have the first volume hybrid model powered by lithium-ion batteries, when it launches the S400 BlueHYBRID next year. The new car will feature a 15kW electric motor mated to 3.5L petrol V6 for a combined output of 220kW and 375Nm of torque – enough to propel the car from 0-100km/h […]
Last week, GM’s European chief Carl Peter Forster confirmed that €9 billion ($14 billion) would be invested in Opel between now and 2012 for the development of a score of new models and powertrains. In fact, Opel will be launching up to 20 new models over the next five years and according to […]
Audi CEO Rupert Stadler yesterday revealed a production electric vehicle from Audi was still at least five to ten years away, but that doesn’t mean the Ingolstadt-based carmaker isn’t investing in the technology. According to latest reports Audi and Japanese electronics giant Sanyo are planning to work together on a new pilot hybrid project for […]
Pininfarina first confirmed back in December it was planning to build a new electric vehicle in a joint-venture with France’s Bollore group. The coachbuilder has now revealed that it will be moving production of the Alfa Romeo Brera (pictured) out of its San Giorgio plant to make room for the new electric vehicle.
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Many car enthusiasts follow the Automotive X-Prize closely - many of the candidates for the 100mpg production car trophy - like the Loremo, Motive and Aptera entries - look like interesting and possibly even realistic takes on the future of the auto industry. Now the X-Prize foundation has announced a suite of prizes totaling $100 […]
Industry giants Toyota and GM are racing to become the first carmaker with a production plug-in hybrid in its fleet and even BMW and Mercedes-Benz have confirmed plans to launch electric and alternative fuel vehicles towards the end of the decade. Audi however, sees its development of zero-emissions vehicles as a more gradual […]
Although the first batch of Tesla Roadsters is already on sale - to the tune of 1,000 pre-orders - only four production cars have been built. But that hasn’t stopped Tesla from opening its first dealership in one of the busiest sections of Los Angeles. Built at a cost of $2 million, the […]
Earlier this week Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn revealed there were plans to launch a new family of electric-vehicles for both Renault and Nissan and the first of these are expected to be on the market by 2010. Before their launch, Nissan will conduct extensive testing of its new electric drivetrains and one of […]
In July last year Smart unveiled three new concept versions of its second-generation ForTwo minicar, all based around an ultra-efficient electric drivetrain. The trio included a regular petrol-electric hybrid, a diesel-electric hybrid and a zero-emissions electric vehicle. This third concept, the all-electric ForTwo, featured a 30kW motor powered by a sodium-nickel-chloride battery and could drive […]
Tesla has confirmed its all-electric Roadster will go on sale in Europe next year and a Norwegian dealer is already taking pre-orders for the car. While the first batch of ‘P1’ U.S. delivered models will feature an interim two-speed transmission that limits acceleration to a disappointing 5.7 seconds for the 0-60mph sprint, by […]
Magna International is a global auto parts supplier and independent vehicle manufacturer and now the company is considering launching its own branded car. Magna is planning to develop and launch its own plug-in hybrid vehicle and is predicting a prototype will be on the roads and testing as early as next year or in 2010.
Executives […]
Hybrid, fuel-cell and all-electric vehicles are viewed by many as the future of the motoring world but there is a growing fear that the flow of electrical current from the motors that power such vehicles produces harmful magnetic fields, which some scientists associate with a number of health risks including increased risk of cancer. Magnetic […]