Micro cars as safe as a Hummer Could safety be more important than the battery? Most energy used by a car is wasted moving the just the weight of a vehicle. Thus, many have pointed out that simply making vehicles much lighter would have a dramatic impact on reducing fuel consumption, at a far cheaper cost than adding batteries. Unfortunately, lighter…

The FT-HS at the Detroit Auto Show Some sizzle for hybrid cars Hybrid cars aren’t cheap, and most hybrid models available are either high end or luxury models. In fact shopping for a luxury hybrid is a lot more interesting than shopping for a more cost-effective hybrid. There’s just more choices from more brands, with many more luxury hybrids, including plug-ins, on the way. Unfortunately, the…

Ford's hydrogen plug-in hybrid powertrain Can hydrogen and batteries co-exist? Hydrogen fuel cell cars and plug-in electric vehicles. Oil and water? Fire and ice? Or perfectly complimentary technologies? Some of the most forward thinkers and activists in the auto and energy-related fields believe in hydrogen fuel …

Too much focus on tomorrow? Too much focus on tomorrow? The hybrid for all of us. That was the promise of the Honda Insight . Instead, it’s been the hybrid for very few of us. Despite the fact that Honda beat Toyota to the hybrid game, Honda still has yet to show real leadership on hybrid…

Forever just around the corner? Partnerships the new Toyota way? Last week Toyota hooked up with Tesla on electric cars and this week Toyota is set to partner with Daimler on fuel cells. Not bad for a company that is often criticized for being too insular. Unfortunately, few details are yet available regarding this deal. Nonetheless, Toyota’s new partnership-minded attitude is refreshing. And while many …

Have to wait until 2011 On the path to 10 percent by 2020? The first 13,000 Nissan Leafs being built for the American market have been sold out. “I don’t think we’re going to have a problem marketing and selling these cars for the first two or three years,” stated Carlos Ghosn, adding that tax incentives had made the car very popular in California according to…

China's pollution problem. The downside of cheap coal When it comes to the future of the auto industry and personal transportation, China is quickly becoming the world’s most important country. Consequently, every major automaker is aggressively seeking to establish and/or to grow their business in this ever-important country. Even more interesting, for many reasons China has also been seen as a key piece of the battery-powered automotive revolution…

Another green step forward? A few more green jobs for Michigan Over the next few years Ford will add almost 200 new, green jobs in Michigan that will focus on next generation hybrid and electric vehicles, particularly battery pack and transmission assembly. Certainly a few hundred new jobs is welcome news in …

But is this mostly just PR? More about PR than EV technology? So, Toyota has taken a small stake in Tesla so that the two can work together to build electric cars at the NUMMI plant in California. Yet, what is the significance of this $50 million investment? Is this really about technology, or more about Toyota trying to clean up its image? When it comes to …

$10,000 back from the gov! State adds $2000 to Fed’s EV tax incentives When the Chevy Volt goes on sale later this year, it will be sold in 3 primary markets: Washington, DC, Michigan and California. Because of its proximity to the DC market, as well as its investment in plug-in …

Honda's fuel cell dream But will still produce some electric cars While Honda will continue to research electric cars, as it has since 1988, and even build a few models, the automaker doesn’t believe that electric cars are set to have a big impact on automotive sales. “We lack confidence in the…

The downside of EVs? Coal – The reason Greenpeace opposes EVs In the past few years numerous studies have suggested, despite the dirty nature of coal-powered electricity, off-peak charging for electric vehicles is still, generally and overall, cleaner than burning petroleum, at least in the US where cleaner and greener coal …