Hybrid


Quieter Spirit: Rolls reportedly planning hybrid Ghost for 15% better economy

If you've been pondering getting on the list for a Rolls-Royce Ghost but you're hesitant because of the negative environmental impact (and social standing) of the big, beautiful boat's V12 engine, we've got good news for you. British site Autocar is reporting that a hybrid version of the Ghost is in the works. It's rumored to be based off the mild hybrid system of the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, which makes sense considering that the two luxury sleds utilize the same platform. The nearly 18-foot long Ghost will likely still sport a 6.2-liter V12, ... Read more →

SEMA 2009: Meet the world's most desirable Lexus RX450h by Branew Jonny Lieberman

Let me be blunt: I don't like luxury crossovers. At all. It's a niche with no appeal to me whatsoever. Not a car, not a truck – just a fat sedan jacked up on stilts to woo trophy wives with ...

SEMA 2009: Progressive Automotive X-Prize Contenders Frank Filipponio

For those of you who follow our sister site AutoblogGreen regularly, you're very familiar with the Automotive X-Prize, the $10m challenge to produce viable and super fuel-efficient vehicles. For ...

Ferrari reportedly confirms all-wheel drive hybrid system Jeremy Korzeniewski

It's long been suspected that Ferrari was hard at work developing a hybrid powertrain for its line of supercars and grand touring machines, especially since a series of patents were unearthed ...

Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality Jeremy Korzeniewski

Stick with what you know. That seems to be Toyota's new mantra going forward, as the Japanese automaker has reportedly diverted its attention away from large trucks like the largely unsuccessful ...

GM awarded DOE money to research Shape Memory Alloy heat engines 5 days ago on Autoblog

General Motors has been awarded $2.7 million by the Department of Energy to create a working prototype engine using Shape Memory Alloys (SMA). The idea is for the prototype to use SMA tech to capture heat energy from engine exhaust gasses via an electric generator and transfer that energy to ...

REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big 8 days ago on Autoblog

Were you born somewhere between 1976 and the early 1990s? Are you the child of a so-called Baby Boomer? If so, you, like me, are a member of Generation Y. So, what does that mean? Well, nothing really, but it's a convenient way to classify a large chunk of the American population... and we ...

REPORT: Toyota develops its own flower for cleaner air at Prius plant 8 days ago on Autoblog

Automakers make cars and trucks, no surprises there. Some even make other interesting things, like Honda, which also builds motorcycles, lawn mowers, jets, robots and solar cells. But until now, we haven't heard of any car company that develops its own species of flowers. Thankfully, Toyota has ...

REPORT: Two-mode hybrid joint development disbanded; Ram hybrid coming in 2010 10 days ago on Autoblog

According to The Detroit News, the big joint development program formed several years ago between General Motors, Daimler, Chrysler and BMW to develop a two-mode hybrid system for light duty vehicles is over. With all four automakers now having launched versions of the gas-electric system, the ...

Has VP Joe Biden leaked Fisker's product plan? 10 days ago on Autoblog

Regardless of what side of the political fence you find yourself on, it's hard to dispute that vice president Joe Biden has a reputation for saying more than he should. That's not always a good thing when you're privy to some of the most important secrets of what is arguably the most powerful nation ...

Stealing Current: LoJack goes no-power for hybrids 10 days ago on Autoblog

LoJack systems draw their power from your car or your motorcycle's (or laptop's) battery to send their signal. With a traditional vehicle, this generally isn't a problem as the draw is small and as long as the a car gets driven regularly, there's plenty of juice on tap. Hybrids are another ...

Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant 11 days ago on Autoblog

In Wilmington, Delaware this morning, Governor Jack Markell was joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Henrik Fisker (seen at right) for the official announcement about the purchase of General Motors' closed plant there. Fisker will re-tool the plant to build a new, more affordable plug-in hybrid ...

VIDEO: New Toyota Prius ad channels Vishnu to explain hybrid tech 11 days ago on Autoblog

What do you want from me... I've only got two hands?! Wouldn't we all be a bit more productive if we were blessed with another set of upper appendages, complete with opposable thumbs? Toyota apparently thinks so, and the Japanese automotive giant is using the point to prove that two drivetrains ...

REPORT: Honda plans a return to larger hybrids 11 days ago on Autoblog

To put it mildly, sales of the Honda Accord Hybrid never quite set the world on fire. Regardless, Japan's second largest automaker is reportedly hard at work developing its proprietary Integrated Motor Assist hybrid platform so that it can once again be used to power larger vehicles like the ...

Mugen reportedly considering tuning Honda CR-Z 12 days ago on Autoblog

While the idea of a performance-tuned hybrid may have seemed nonsensical only a couple of years ago, as the earth-friendly vehicles become more mainstream, the sub-segment will undoubtedly grow to attract a fair share of our attention. Case in point: reports from overseas indicate that Mugen is ...

Posawatz: Volt range-extended mileage to be "better than any conventional car." But what about hybrids? 14 days ago on Autoblog

So, plenty of time has passed since General Motors first made the announcement that its Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle would score 230 miles per gallon on the yet-to-be-completed EPA testing procedure for such vehicles. Still, plenty of questions remain, such as How many miles per ...

Tokyo 2009: Toyota Prius claims Japan Car of the Year title 15 days ago on Autoblog

For the past 30 years, Japan has declared a car of the year, an award given to newly released or redesigned vehicles released from November 1st of the previous year to October 1st of the current year. More than 60 jurors composed of Japanese journalists receive an allocation of votes, and the ...

REPORT: Nissan's Ghosn rules out hybrid-only models like Toyota Prius, Honda Insight 15 days ago on Autoblog

Quick, think of a hybrid automobile. Got it? Are you thinking of the Toyota Prius? Pretty much everyone instantly recognizes the well-known profile of the Prius, and it's by far the most popular fuel miser on the market. A good bit of Toyota's success with the Prius has been attributed to its ...

Tokyo 2009: Nissan Fuga hybrid to arrive in Japan late 2010, U.S. in 2011 16 days ago on Autoblog

After several years of selling small volumes of its Altima sedan using Toyota's hybrid drive system, Nissan is finally ready to roll out its first gas-electric model using technology developed in-house. The first model to be so equipped will be the new Fuga sedan, a car sold in North America ...

Ford recreating Fiesta Movement with Fusion 41 program 16 days ago on Autoblog

Ford is diving into the burgeoning social media world head first. Based on the success of its Fiesta Movement, the Blue Oval has decided to launch a new program called Fusion 41 – so named because of the Fusion Hybrid's 41 mile-per-gallon EPA estimate in the city and the fact that Ford is ...

Tokyo 2009: 2010 Toyota Sai hybrid looks suspiciously familiar 16 days ago on Autoblog

Toyota has rolled out its new Sai hybrid here at the Tokyo Motor Show, and if it looks familiar, that's because you've probably seen something very similar wearing "Lexus" and "HS250h" badges. The overall aesthetic of the Sai is very similar to that of its premium sibling, but it features ...

GM invites Volt fans to name first color and win a test drive! 16 days ago on Autoblog

Take a close look at the Chevy Volt in the photo above. We've seen it a number of times already but we've never said anything about the color. While it's predominantly silver, it does have a green (or more specifically emerald) tint in it. According to General Motors spokesman David Darovitz, ...

Tokyo 2009: Honda SkyDeck, is this the future of the Odyssey? 17 days ago on Autoblog

Unlike the CR-Z which is nothing more than a thinly veiled preview of an upcoming production model, the Honda Skydeck remains a pure design study at this point. While most automakers would provide a full list of specifications for a concept that is nothing more than a fiberglass buck, Honda isn't ...

Tokyo 2009: Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept previews Fuji Heavy's new design language 17 days ago on Autoblog

The Subaru Hybrid Tourer is sharp-nosed and an all-out sharp piece of car. The car's flat floor hides two electric motors, one aft that powers the car in low-speed acceleration and assists with acceleration, and one up front connected to a direct-injection turbocharged gas engine. The Tourer is ...

Tokyo 2009: Honda CR-Z coming to America next fall with six-speed manual! 17 days ago on Autoblog

Honda fans of all sorts have cause to celebrate today with the reveal of the 2009 iteration of the CR-Z coupe. In typical Honda fashion, this CR-Z remains a concept in name and detail only. What you see here is essentially the production coupe that will go on sale in Japan next February and then ...

Tokyo 2009: Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV shows its more conventional face 17 days ago on Autoblog

Mitsubishi has put its plug-in hybrid Concept PX-MiEV crossover concept on a pedestal here at the Tokyo Motor Show, touting the CUV's "environmental and on-road performance," as well as its serial and parallel modes and wireless charging capabilities. The crossover's design language ...

REPORT: Honda warming up to idea of electric vehicles 18 days ago on Autoblog

With offerings like the FCX Clarity and the Insight, it's been clear what technologies Honda favors for environmentally-friendly transportation. But a change in strategy conceded by CEO Takanobu Ito could see Honda focusing more energy on plug-in electric vehicles in the near future. Although ...

Tokyo Preview: Toyota launches HS-based SAI hybrid in Japan 18 days ago on Autoblog

We're starting to develop a bit of a complex. Why is Toyota holding out on us? Yesterday we showed you the handsome second-gen Toyota Mark X, the Lexus GS-based rear-wheel-drive sedan that seems a perfect fit for buyers on these shores. But no, Toyota says that model isn't coming Stateside. If ...

Ford may pass Honda as second best hybrid seller in U.S. 22 days ago on Autoblog

There's no doubt about which automaker leads the hybrid vehicle race. Toyota – and particularly the Japanese automaker's Prius hybrid – outsells all other manufacturers combined. In total, Automotive News calculates that Toyota sold 144,351 hybrid vehicles in the first nine months ...

Coming Soon: Downloadable ringtones for your silent electric car? 22 days ago on Autoblog

Like to download new ringtones for your phone so that you don't sound like everybody else in the world that opts for the free cell phones from their chosen service provider? The same kind of thing is reportedly in the works for future electric cars. We've been hearing for the last few years that ...

Feds release 2010 Fuel Economy Guide, Prius still most miserly 22 days ago on Autoblog

Quick – what's the most fuel efficient car currently for sale in America? Did you guess the Toyota Prius? If so, give yourself a cookie, you're right. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the 2010 version of Toyota's seminal hybrid once again scores the mileage victory ...

Catching up with Chevrolet's 1,200-mile pre-production Volt fleet drive 22 days ago on Autoblog

Yesterday, we had an opportunity to chat with Chevrolet Volt chief engineer Andrew Farah as he rode through the hills of West Virginia during a development drive. On Tuesday, a fleet of eight pre-production (a.k.a. IVER) Volts set out from the company's Milford Proving Ground in Michigan on ...

Autoblog Podcast #149 24 days ago on Autoblog

Episode #149 of the Autoblog Podcast, the first frost edition, has arrived. The Tokyo Motor Show is coming up, and there have been a couple previews of what to expect there. The Toyota FT-86 concept has had everyone abuzz with its heralding as the spiritual successor of the much-beloved AE86 ...

Rumormill: Subaru planning to revive SVX with coupe version of Sports Tourer 25 days ago on Autoblog

Might Subaru's Hybrid Tourer concept point the way forward to a revival of the iconoclastic SVX from the Nineties? According to AutoExpress, that's a definite maybe. The British motoring mag suggests that the conceptual Hybrid Tourer that's just about to get its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show is ...

Subaru releases more pics of Hybrid Tourer Concept 26 days ago on Autoblog

Subaru has just released a bunch of new images of its Hybrid Tourer concept that is slated to debut next week at the Tokyo Motor Show. The gullwing wagon/hatch/thingy is Subaru's first major cut at a hybrid and the first from anyone using a boxer four-cylinder engine. A pair of electric motors ...

Act silly, get a Ford Fusion Hybrid [w/VIDEO] 28 days ago on Autoblog

Ford has already demonstrated strong, puppetmaster-like abilities with the whole Fiesta Agent thing. In exchange for agreeing to go on secretive "missions," a few dozen people were given a Ford Fiesta for six months this year (they're about due to give them back). Building from of that idea, ...

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Autoblog Podcast #151: With Car and Driver's Eddie Alterman

Eddie Alterman wades in with Sam, Chris, Dan, and Jonny to talk about SEMA and other recent events.

 
 

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