Hybrids

Governments around the world are bowing down to public pressure to reduce the levels of greenhouse emissions and one of the industries set to bear the biggest cost from impending changes to regulations is the automotive one. One of the most influential changes will be the stricter CAFE standards...

When people think of eco-friendly vehicles, hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius or Honda Insight usually spring to mind. Compared to a gas-guzzling SUV or full-sized sedan, efficient hybrid vehicles start to look like the ideal solution for clean motoring. The sad truth is that modern diesel cars...

One of the highlights of this year’s Detroit Auto Show is a new plug-in hybrid four-door coupe from California’s Fisker Coachbuild. The new car is called the Karma and it sports advanced technologies such as a lithium-ion battery array, aluminum construction and varying driving modes...

Henrik Fisker, a man responsible for the breath-taking designs of the BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, is set to debut a 100-mph performance plug-in hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show in January next year. By partnering with Quantum Technologies, Fisker Automotive plans to start selling the...

At first glance Toyota’s Hi-CT could be mistaken as being a basic box on wheels but look a little closer and you’ll see that it features plenty of innovations that’s sure to attract the youth market. The vehicle’s plug-in hybrid drivetrain features 1.5L motor mated to an...

Toyota’s focus at this month’s Tokyo Motor Show is sustainable motoring and to show its dedication in the field it will be displaying no less than nine eco-friendly concepts. The vehicles range from tiny personal mobility solutions to luxury sedans and high-performance sports cars, and...

Chinese manufacturer BYD Automobile has revealed that it will start mass producing rechargeable plug-in electric cars next year despite industry giants Toyota and GM admitting they’re still several years away from doing the same. After four years of research and development BYD believe it has...

The future is electric, or so says Subaru with its new G4e zero-emissions small car that will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in a couple of weeks. The concept gets a prototype lithium-ion battery pack and a 65kW motor, as well as a plug-in power port built in to the front bumper. Despite being so...

After suffering a tumultuous past decade Mitsubishi is finally on the turnaround and has exciting products like the new Evo X and several upcoming concepts to keep us on out toes. Its president Osamu Masuko has now revealed the carmaker’s strategy for the future and plans to launch several...

Last week’s release of a chart detailing General Motors’ future production plans has also revealed an interesting tidbit of info concerning the upcoming Volt plug-in electric hybrid car. The chart lists the cars that will be manufactured at several GM plants. At its Detroit, Hamtramck...

Saab’s first hybrid car will be based on its new entry-level 9-1 compact, which is due to enter production in 2010. CEO Jan Ake Jonsson hinted at the development of the new baby Saab last month and claimed it would be targeted at premium small hatches like the BMW 1-series and Audi A3. Now, a...

Toyota has reached a new milestone with the unveiling of an upgraded version of its fuel-cell prototype claimed to be 25% more fuel efficient than the current model. The car also has the added benefit of using less electricity to power its onboard equipment than previous versions. After completing...

Lexus already uses its early adoption of hybrid technology as a way to differentiate itself from the more established German luxury marques, and now it could take this differentiation to the next level by introducing a range of high-performance hybrids. Lexus hopes to appeal to a niche audience...

Engineers at General Motors Company [NYSE:GM] are working on a new hybrid drivetrain they plan to install in the next-generation Opel Astra (current model pictured), scheduled to hit the streets in 2010. GM is working on its new E-Flex plug-in technology but is also planning to launch a new range...

In a similar move to Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen is to offer a hybrid option on its entire future lineup including both mild and full hybrid systems. In addition to its hybrid onslaught, VW also plans to expand its range of ultra-efficient BlueMotion diesels and could one day have it as an option for...

Last week’s Frankfurt Motor Show saw Mercedes-Benz unveil 18 alternative-fuel vehicles, 17 of which are scheduled to enter production by 2010 and half of these are headed to the States. The first cars to arrive will be the hybrid ML450 and S400 in 2009, with the latter expected to be the...

GM doesn’t plan to have a dedicated plug-in hybrid on the market until 2010 when it releases a production version of its Volt Concept car, however, there could be a Saturn Vue plug-in hybrid on sale one year before that. GM brand manager Jill Lajdziak has hinted that a Vue plug-in that can...

Chrysler has jumped on the eco-technology bandwagon by launching an engineering division specifically for building electric and hybrid vehicles. The new division, dubbed ENVI, will operate as a ‘start-up’ with an entrepreneurial environment, according to new CEO Robert Nardelli, and...

Most people know Loremo for its ultra-fuel efficient LS Concept car (pictured), a vehicle with a claimed fuel consumption figure of 117mpg (2L/100km). However, Loremo is no one-trick pony. According to new reports, Loremo plans to launch an all-new electric car based on the LS Concept by 2010. By...

Toyota says the risk of a lithium power source bursting into flames under stress is not worth the reward. Daimler and BMW, meanwhile, have joined forces to produce a new hybrid powertrain in an effort to prove Toyota wrong. Built to replace the Two Mode hybrid powertrain developed in conjunction...