Your Personal Energy Independence
New paper explores the connections between electric cars and clean energy, and describes options to accelerate the markets for both.
2014 Chevrolet Spark EV Electric Car Price under $32,500
The 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV will be priced by GM at less than $32,500 and eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit and added incentives in several states. Now that GM leads electric car sales in the United States with the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt, it will go after urban dwellers who want a less expensive city EV. Spark EV is the first all-electric vehicle in North America to offer optional SAE Combo DC Fast Charge capability, which can charge the battery to 80 percent of capacity in about 20 minutes.
Ford C-Max Test Drive of a Crossover with 600-mile Range
Before stepping inside Ford’s new crossover for an 80-mile test-drive, I can’t help admiring the looks of this 2013 Ford C-MAX. This 5-seater rides tall like an SUV with a height of 63.8-inches. Here you can buy the C-MAX Hybrid starting at $25,200 and get 47-miles per gallon and 570-mile range, or you can buy the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid starting at $32,900 and get 100 mpg and 620 mile range.
50 New Cars at LA Auto Show include Hybrid Cars and SUVs
The 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show gives a world debut to 50 vehicles for 2013 from Ford, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Subaru, Chrysler, General Motors, BMW, Fiat, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen. If I could select two cars for Green Car of the Year, they would be the Toyota Prius c and the Ford C-MAX.
2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid – Test Drive of Sedan with 40 MPG
As I approached the new Avalon Hybrid for my test drive, I noticed that Toyota had preserved the subdued elegance of the exterior while making it more aerodynamic with a .28 coefficient of drag. I sat behind the leather steering wheel in the 10-way power driver leather seat to insure my comfort even on a long drive. The 2013 Avalon Hybrid is rated at 40 MPG city, 39 highway, 40 MPG overall. Price starts $35,555.
Electric Car Sales Increase 228%
Model year 2012 is the year of the green car, with record fleet fuel economy, record high hybrid sales, and a 228% increase in plug-in electric car sales. While it’s true that plug-in electric car sales still represent a very small fraction of total auto sales, model year 2012 saw about 38,000 Americans buying plug-in cars. The Chevy Volt, often described by critics as a failure, falls right in the middle of the pack, outselling half the cars, trucks, and SUVs on the market.
Personal: Electric Car Drivers Free of Range Anxiety
The 50,000 electric car owners in the United States are discovering more range from their electric vehicles. Range anxiety is real, but over played due to 2 car households, public charging, business model and battery innovation, and especially due to the convenience of plug-in hybrids.
No Learning Curve Required with the Toyota’s Smallest Electric Car
I did not drive the Toyota IQ at highway speeds where the short wheel base suggests less stability, but I would consider taking the car on a road trip if I could pull a battery trailer to increase the range.
2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid with Best Premium Car MPG
The new 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid delivers more miles per gallon than any luxury luxury hybrid car in America with an EPA-certified 45 mpg across the board – city, highway and combined. It doesn’t cost a dime extra to get the MKZ as a hybrid. The 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid starts at $35,925 for this richly appointed sedan. The price is the same whether you buy it as a 45-mpg hybrid or with a 2L EcoBoost engine. Other competitors charge a premium for their hybrid models.
Flash Drive: Scion iQ EV
As I drive Toyota’s sporty new electric car, sun streams through the red and yellow fall colors that grace Denver’s downtown. This is the new 2013 Scion iQ EV, Toyota’s fourth electric car that joins the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, FCHV, and the RAV4 EV all-electric SUV. This iQ-EV is a micro-compact all-electric city car.