Will more be made in China than the US? All about guzzling coal? “China is the country that needs to move to electrification more than any other country and we know the government wants to move to electrification so we want to participate in that movement,” recently stated Kevin Wale, president and managing director of GM China…

A new smile for the Highlander An edgier look for the Highlander hybrid The 2011’s are coming, and that should mean some changes for a number of hybrid cars . At the Moscow Auto Show Toyota is showing off an updated 2011 Toyota Highlander that includes updates that should make their way to America in all Highlander models, including the hybrid. According to MotorTrend , “Visual changes include tweaked front and rear ends, …

Perfect for every day commuters. A bad omen for plug-ins? As the Honda CR-Z hybrid makes it way to dealerships, a number of reviewers have remarked how unappreciated will be Honda’s latest hybrid. It’s just not made for Americans. In a market defined by waste, the CR-Z hybrid just makes too much sense. “Look…

Only way to save the US battery industry? By 2015, the supply of lithium-ion batteries will outweigh demand by about 62 percent according to Mary Ann Wright , manager of advanced auto batteries for Johnson Controls. Similarly, last week, analysis showed that this over-capacity would force about 60 battery makers worldwide to consolidate into just 6 or 8 manufacturers . More important, the winners will be determined by revenues. Based on US manufacturing …

Gas demand keeps rising in China Expect $3.00 gas this summer, but don’t expect gas prices to rise too far above $3.25. There simply won’t be enough demand in the US to drive gasoline prices any higher according to an AP report . Ironically, there isn’t enough demand in America to justify current gasoline prices either; however, demand in China …

When and why? Foreign oil dependence has become a pretty significant buzz phrase in the last decade, yet over the last ten years little decrease in foreign oil consumption has been achieved. When will this change? What technology, resource or event will provide the impetus for a significant reduction – more than 50 percent – in…

No separate battery lease in America? Beginning in April electric car fans can put down a refundable $100 deposit on a new Nissan Leaf, with deliveries starting in August. Thus far, Nissan expects to sell or lease about 20,000 Leafs based upon initial demand forecasts. What’s becoming more interesting, however, is guessing the final cost of the Leaf. For a while Nissan has claimed that pricing would be similar to …

VW’s first hybrid coming to America later this year Volkswagen, in cooperation with Porsche, is set to launch its first ever production hybrid and it will hit American showrooms later this year. Using an Audi-built supercharged 3.0-liter V6 mated to a battery-powered electric motor, the new Touareg can achieve 380 hp and …

Can you say John Dingell? Boy the media’s coverage of Toyota-gate has become almost laughable at times. Lately, the new angle is Toyota’s political friends in Washington . “Some members of Congress have been such cheerleaders for Toyota that the public may wonder how they can act objectively as government watchdogs for auto safety and oversight.” LOL! Wow. John Dingell anyone? Has Michigan Congressman John Dingell ever acted objectively when it has come …

Is BYD just the beginning? In recent years, GM’s Buick brand has been a top selling brand in China, but will that always be the case? In China, according to a recent Investors Business Daily article , there is growing pride in home grown automakers, such as BYD – the automaker in which Warren Buffett recently invested $230 million because he …

The best car for America? Boy, career paths are an important choice. It’s a good thing that MSNBC’s Dan Carney become a reporter for the auto business, rather than the someone working IN the auto business. This morning Dan calls the Ford Fusion hybrid the best hybrid available in the US. “It is the best in the U.S. in part because it is the best for the U….

Can the Fusion hybrid keep pace? According to Edmunds.com , hybrid cars will achieve a 3.2 percent market share in 2010 compared to about 2.7 percent share today. Unfortunately, Edmunds doesn’t go into much detail as to how their hybrid numbers were derived, but one can imagine that a slightly less recessed economy is probably the key ingredient. Hybrid sales were hammered in early 2009 before picking up the pace…