Electric Vehicles

It's A (Natural) Gas, Honda To Offer Civic GX nationwide

Honda will offer the Civic GX, the Japanese manufacturer’s natural-gas-powered car, in the United States to retail delears beginning in the fall of 2011, according to a report in Japan’s business-oriented newspaper, Nikkei. The Civic GX is available nationwide to fleet sales, but it’s available for retail sales only in California, New York, Utah, Nevada and Oklahoma. Honda announced it will sell the vehicle nationwide because of the country’s increased interest in “green car” technology. The Civic GX has been rated first in the “Greenest Vehicle of the Year” list presented American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy for the past eight years. Natural-gas-propelled cars are viewed as greener than all-electric vehicles, which charge their batteries using electricity often generated by

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BMW 335d gets diesel car of the year honors over VW duo

BMW dominated voting over two Volkswagen models and its 335d was named 2011 Diesel Car of the Year by a global vote of readers of The Diesel Driver magazine and as announced at the New York International Auto Show. The BMW 335d received 29.6 percent of 3,669 votes cast by readers from 43 countries. Eighty-three percent of the voters were from the United States. The Volkswagen Golf TDI finished second (16.1 percent) with the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI (16 percent) third. Each year, the Diesel Driver’s readers select the Diesel Car of the Year and recognize the top three diesel automobiles offered in the U.S. For the 2011, votes wer cast among 12 passenger vehicles and sport utility vehicles and

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Chevrolet Volt chosen Green Car of the Year in New York

The Chevrolet Volt has been selected ahead of the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition and the Nissan Leaf as the 2011 World Green Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show. To be eligible for the 2011 World Green Car* award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2010 and ending May 30th, 2011. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle’s environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration. The Chevrolet Volt is

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Nissan Leaf gets World Car of the Year honors in New York

The Nissan Leaf, the zero-emission electric car, powered by a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged in about eight hours and has a 100-mile range, has been selected as the 2011 World Car of the Year. The Nissan Leaf was chosen from an initial entry list of 39 new vehicles from all over the world, then a short list of ten, then three finalists: the Nissan Leaf, the Audi A8 and the BMW 5 Series. The World Car Awards jurors, announcing the award at the New York International Auto Show, commented: “The Leaf is the gateway to a brave new electric world from Nissan. This 5-seater, 5-door hatchback is the world’s first, purpose-built, mass-produced electric car. Dropped onto a unique

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BMW unveils first electric car, ActiveE

BMW has unveiled the ActiveE, the German automaker’s first electric car that can drive about 100 miles between charges, at the New York International Auto Show. The ActiveE, based on BMW’s 1-series car, is a plug-in electric vehicle. Unlike, the Nissan Leaf or the Tesla Roadster, which are sold through dealers, BMW will lease about 700 cars out for $500 a month over two years. BMW didn’t announce the price of the care, but reported the ActiveE can accelerate from 0-60 mph in about nine seconds with its 170 horsepower engine. The Nissan Leaf can accelerate from 0-60 mph in about seven seconds, while the Tesla Roadster can generate as much as 248 horsepower off its electric engine and can

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Honda Civic 2012 debuts, 4 engines, 13 trims in redesign

The redesigned 2012 Honda Civic is simultaneously debuting at the New York International Auto Show and at dealerships nationwide, with pricing starting at $15,600 for the base DX sedan extending to $26,750 for the hybrid with option packages. The eighth generation of the perennially top-selling Honda is the same size as the 2011 edition. But it’s 40 pounds because of a newly utilized high-strength steel and other weight-reducing changes. Standard for the 2012 Civic will be a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 140 horsepower and five-speed automatic transmission. Its manufacturer estimate is 39 mpg on the freeway. The HF model, which features some aerodynamic tweaks and fewer options, will be rated at 41 mpg in freeway driving and 29 mpg in

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Eco-Friendly Cars: Toyota Prius to Tesla Roadster, Part 2

Despite vast promotions and bright, constant media spotlights, Chevy and Nissan are not the only new green players. Tesla, the Bay Area-based manufacturer, debuted its all-electric, super-quick but limited production Roadster in 2006. About 2,000 Tesla Roadsters with a 244-mile range, have been sold worldwide.  And the Tesla’s less expensive, estimated $50,000 S sedan will be available next year with three range options. Automakers carefully choose when and how they debut new models, although most often it occurs at various auto shows around country throughout the year, The buzz for hybrids and electric vehicles was particularly prevalent at the Detroit Auto Show, the year’s first major show, in early January. Ford unveiled the Focus Electric, C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid,

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Eco-Friendly Cars: Toyota Prius to Tesla Roadster, Part 1

Without fanfare or an exact date, there must have a collective automotive epiphany in recent years. Somehow, all major carmakers were in on it, except Toyota. It had its awakening 14 years ago. The Japanese carmaker introduced its hybrid gas-electric car in 1997 and then debuted it in the United States car market in 2001. It wasn’t the first electric or hybrid car available in the country. But it was the first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid car in the U.S., and the auto industry hasn’t been the same since. Combine the increasing influence of the environmental movement, pending federal regulation for increased fuel efficiency and diminishing reliance on foreign fuel and the auto industry en masse now gets it. The “greening

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Toyota reveals online registration plan for 2012 Prius buyers

Toyota has announced the introduction of a soon-to-launch online system for customers to order the redesigned 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid. The first phase of the online system, called Priority Registration, will launch April 22, 2011. Customers interested in purchasing a Prius Plug-in can visit the carmaker’s site to complete the registration. Toyota’s Priority Registration allows customers first access to the online ordering systems when it’s available later in this year. The new online service will allow customers the convenience of configuring their own vehicle from any web browser, select their dealership of choice (within 15 launch states), and track their order through production, distribution and delivery. The Prius Plug-in will begin arriving at Toyota dealers in 15 launch states in

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Coda joins Tesla, Hyundai, sets debut in shopping mall

Coda Automotive Inc., the electric carmaker, will join Telsa and Hyundai when it opens its first showroom in July at a Southern California shopping mall. The Santa Monica auto and electric battery company has signed a lease to open a 900-square-foot store at Westfield Century City. Its current occupants are primarily high-end clothing and jewelry retailers. Hyundai and Tesla also have showrooms in shopping malls. To hopefully jump-start sales, Coda is negotiating fleet deals with companies looking to increase their use of alternative fuel vehicles. Both Hertz Corp. and Enterprise Holdings Inc. have expressed interest in placing $44,900 Coda sedans in their rental fleets once they go into production, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. The company

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Nissan Leaf Named Kelley Blue Book Green Car of 2011

Despite its miniscule fleet in the United States, the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle  has been named the top green vehicle of 2011 by Kelley Blue Book because of its “ground-breaking combination of range, room and price.” The Chevy Volt, an electric car with a range-extending gas engine finished second in the voting by the renowned car guide. Although there about 20,000 active reservations in the U.S. for the Nissan Leaf, less than 500 have been delivered via mechanical issues or the recent earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. Kelley Blue Book  labeled the Leaf as “the first electric car for the masses.” Here’s a list of the top 10 electric cars of 2011, according to Kelly Blue Book: 1. 2011 Nissan

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Nissan reports starting issue with electric Leaf

Nissan, the No. 2 carmaker in Japan, said Monday it’s investigating complaints from Nissan Leaf owners the electric car on occasion fails to start. A Reuters report detailed Nissan is looking into the exact cause, which it’s traced to the Leaf’s air-conditioning unit via component or programming issues. Nissan does not have a recalled planned, but is determining its next step after it identifies the source of the problem. Nissan has received complaints in the United States and Japan, although the volume of complaints has not been released. Nissan launched the five-seater Leaf, its zero emissions electric plug-in vehicle, in Japan and the United States in December, 2010. Nissan has sold more than 3,300 units in Japan as of February

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Toyota Prius milestone: 1 million U.S. sales since 2000 debut

The Toyota Prius, introduced in the United States 11 years ago as the first mass-produced gas-electric hybrid vehicle, has reached 1 million units in sale, the automaker announced. It is the third milestone for Toyota’s hybrid lineup in the last six months. Last October, global sales of Toyota Prius surpassed two million. And in February this year, overall global Toyota hybrid sales surpassed three million. “Since the Prius went on sale eleven years ago not a year has gone by when it hasn’t been the number one selling hybrid vehicle in the U.S,” said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager. The third-generation Prius topped the EPA’s list of the Most Fuel Efficient Vehicles for 2011. It

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Hyundai, Kia plan plug-in hybrids for 2013 models

Hyundai and its automotive sibling Kia plan to respectively introduce plug-in hybrid versions of the Sonata and Optima sedans with 2013 models. Plug-in hybrids can be recharged at home from the mains supply, unlike conventional gasoline-electric hybrid cars are recharged only when the driver applies the brakes. Hyundai and Kia until now have focused more on fuel-efficient gasoline vehicles rather the trend toward electric vehicles. Hyundai plans to launch its hybrid version of the Sonata, its first global hybrid model, in South Korea in May. Kia is expected to debut the Optima Hybrid the same month. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since

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Fisker Karma production begins in Finland, April U.S. debut

Production of the Fisker Karma extended-range electric vehicle has begun in Finland and delivery of cars is expected in the United States in April, according to several automotive web sites. The Karma will reportedly travel 50 miles on a full charge and will have a beginning price at $88,000. “We’re going to be ramping up very slowly, very carefully to ensure quality. This year we want to get over 7,000 deliveries,” Roger Ormisher, Fisker spokesman said in a press release. A report by AutoWeek detailed Fisker’s plans to offer an a stock IPO this year, and the Anaheim, California-based company recently secured an additional $150 million in funding. The new funding will help develop other models, including the Nina sedan,

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Chinese Zotye leads Chevy, Telsa in first all-electric SUV race

All electric sport utility vehicles are on the near horizon, but which company will debut its offering first remains a race among the Green Automotive and its imported Zotye, AMP/GM’s revised, all-electric Chevy Equinox and a Tesla powered Toyota RAV4 EV. Green Automotive appears to be in the race lead. A fleet of nine Zotye electric SUVs has been shipped to the United States The SUV is powered by a lithium-ion battery which sends the power to an electric motor. It has a top speed of up to 70 mph and can provide an electric range of up to 150 miles. According to Green Automotive’s recent announcement, Roush Industries has been retained to provide testing and engineering feedback on how

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