Hybrids

To reduce its carbon footprint and improve the fuel-economy of its some of its vehicles, Porsche is developing new hybrid technology with sister brand Volkswagen that’ll be available as an option on its next-gen Cayenne SUV and Panamera four-door coupe. The new Cayenne is scheduled for...

Ford is set to unveil a concept version of its new Kuga mid-sized crossover at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, which will be powered by the Blue Oval’s latest petrol-electric hybrid technology. The new hybrid drivetrain will eventually flow on to production versions, making it the first...

Mercedes will match arch rival BMW and its green initiative by introducing carbon dioxide-reducing stop-start technology across its entire lineup and go one step further by installing integrated starter generator (ISG) systems to aid engine performance. The first stop-start equipped Mercedes models...

Despite the findings of a new study that found the popularity of hybrid cars was sinking in favor of diesels, Lexus is pushing ahead with the roll-out of more petrol-electric models and has announced that it will be lifting production of the eco-friendly cars. Lexus exec James H. Colon has revealed...

A recent study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates has found that 50% of prospective car buyers in the US are considering a hybrid model, down from 57% one year ago. By contrast, the level of interest surrounding new diesel models has risen sharply with 23% of respondents claiming they’re...

US Congress is considering implementing a tax break for owners of hybrid cars who convert them into rechargeable plug-ins despite the fact that such a move would void any manufacturer’s warranty. The proposal was put forward by the head of the House global warming committee, Ed Markey, and if...

Nevada’s Hybrid Technologies has started production of its electric-powered BMW Mini Cooper all-lithium model. In development for the past two years, the new electric Mini uses Hybrid Tech’s own proprietary advanced lithium management and battery-balancing system, which promises a cycle...

Ford CEO Alan Mulally predicts that plug-in hybrids could be in showrooms in five to 10 years. Mulally made the comments during the announcement of a joint-effort between Ford and energy utility Southern California Edison to test twenty electric prototypes. This is the first time that any timeline...

DaimlerChrysler is set to follow the lead of BMW by making mild hybrid and engine stop-start systems available in some of its more popular models. At an announcement in London, officials announced that the first car in the DCX fold to feature the eco-friendly tech will be the Smart Fortwo...

Toyota’s Prius hybrid has come under fire recently for not being as eco-friendly as its maker would have you believe but now, one of its key developers, Toyota’s US manager of its Advanced Technologies Group Bill Reinert, has come out defending the car. Last year, a study conducted by...

A major hurdle for hybrid technology has been the significant premium in price customers have to pay for the eco-friendly models, which is why GM is considering absorbing part of the costs in the hope that it will increase popularity of its hybrid cars. The specific models that are likely to get...

Ford is reportedly teaming up with the Southern California Edison power company to help further the introduction of plug-in hybrid vehicles. CEO Alan Mulally will be meeting with Edison boss John Bryson at the utility’s Rosemead headquarters tomorrow for the official announcement. Though...

Well that didn't take long. Only hours ago we reported on some Chevy Malibu spy shots and now GM has come out and unveiled the car at today’s Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. Those wishing for a Prius-beater will be left sorely disappointed – the Malibu Hybrid’s electric...

We reported previously about Lexus developing a new dedicated hybrid model positioned between its IS and GS models and now its UK Chief Steve Settle has revealed more details about the upcoming car. Speaking with BusinessCar, Settle explained that the new car, which is planned for 2010, will be a...

There's no doubt that Toyota’s Prius is the top selling hybrid car in the world. It's already sold more than half a million units, while competitors have struggled and sometimes failed with their own hybrid models. New evidence suggests the reason for the high sales aren't only due to the...

To combat declining sales and the fallout from US fuel prices hovering around the $3 per gallon mark, Cadillac is considering adding hybrid options to its entire lineup. Sales in the US fell 3.4% last year, the first major drop since 2001, and sales are down a significant 7.2% for the first five...

Toyota is planning to launch a second dedicated hybrid brand in 2009 that will be sold alongside the current Prius and is expected to sell up to 100,000 cars per year. The information comes from Japanese newspaper The Nikkei, which also confirmed that Toyota is hoping that by 2010 its hybrid sales...

US based ZAP Automotive has announced its plans to develop a second high-performance electric vehicle to join the upcoming 644hp ZAP-X electric crossover pictured in the above rendering. The second vehicle will be a more affordable model, with a targeted price of $30,000 and a top speed in excess...

Chrysler has announced the adoption of a range of new fuel-saving technologies to improve mileage rates of its vehicles. The major news is the development of a family of V6 engines with cylinder deactivation technology, similar to GM's displacement on demand. This means that three cylinders can be...

Ferrari has just published an extensive document outlining the future technologies that are set to appear in both its road-going and F1 race cars. It’s part of an official presentation that’s going down in Maranello today, where the eco-friendly FXX Millechili concept car has just been...