Green Driving
New Book Argues: Love The Earth? Kill Your Dog, Buy an SUV
Posted: Oct. 23, 2009 11:10:25 a.m.
If you love the earth, you'll get rid of the dog and buy a Range Rover instead. The authors of a new book argue that you'd do less damage to the environment in your luxury large SUV than you do by feeding your Rottweiler.
Fox News explains, "New Zealand authors Robert and Brenda Vale's book, Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living is an exhaustive analysis of the environmental impact of common pets ...
2011 Honda CR-Z: Driving Enthusiast's Hybrid Coming to U.S.
Posted: Oct. 21, 2009 10:10:27 a.m.
At the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show opening today, Honda has unveiled the first affordable hybrid car built with driving enthusiasts in mind. The 2011 Honda CR-Z is a long way from the practical-but-sluggish Prius. This thing even comes with a six-speed manual transmission.
Edmunds Inside Line reports, "Compact and sleek, the 161-inch coupe, which has been two years in the making, is now reportedly ‘95 percent' representative of the final production product which is set to be unveiled at the ...
Report: Nissan May Build One-Seat Car That Leans Into Turns
Posted: Oct. 20, 2009 10:10:43 a.m.
On one hand, concept cars are often wacky vehicles that rarely see production, built to test the limits of what automotive designers can do. On the other hand, a lot of the cars currently in American showrooms, or scheduled to reach the sales floor over the next few years, are a little strange by old-school standards. Perhaps we should have seen the day coming when an automaker might decide to build one of its more bizarre concepts, and offer it ...
2011 Chevy Cruze: GM Aiming for 44 mpg with Next Small Car
Posted: Oct. 20, 2009 10:10:13 a.m.
When General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson met with the company's new Board of Directors earlier this month, he didn't tell them the future was riding on the much-hyped Chevy Volt. The Wall Street Journal reports, "Mr. Henderson said the most important product launch in 2010 will be the Chevy Cruze, a small car developed overseas to better compete with Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla."
Early reports say the Cruze is a significantly more refined vehicle than the Chevy ...
Some Buyers Still Getting Checks in the Mail from Their Clunkers
Posted: Oct. 19, 2009 10:10:13 a.m.
Just because you traded in your '93 Grand Caravan two months ago, that doesn't mean it's stopped paying you back. If you live in Oregon, there may still be another check in the mail relating to your clunker -- coming to you, not the dealership. If you don't live in Oregon, you may still be due some money.
Kicking Tires explains, "Some Oregon car buyers who traded in their old vehicles for more fuel-efficient models under the Cash ...
Congress Approves Funds for Three-Wheeled Cars
Posted: Oct. 19, 2009 10:10:48 a.m.
How many wheels does a car have? Four, according to the U.S. Congress. Or three. Three-wheeled vehicles can qualify, too.
Automotive News explains, "A bill to make fuel-efficient three-wheeled vehicles eligible for federal funding now available to automakers and their suppliers has passed Congress and is headed to the White House for President Barack Obama's signature." The bill will provide Energy Department funds to startups like Aptera Motors and Elio Motors, which have developed experimental three-wheeled vehicles that ...
Feds Release New Fuel Economy Guide -- Prius Still On Top
Posted: Oct. 16, 2009 10:10:46 a.m.
The Toyota Prius is still the most fuel-efficient car in America, according to the EPA (well, the most fuel-efficient car sold in large numbers by a major manufacturer, as Tesla's lawyers would have us point out).
Autoblog reports, "According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the 2010 version of Toyota's seminal hybrid once again scores the mileage victory with its estimated 51 mpg city and 48 highway." The second place slot belongs to the all-new Ford Fusion ...
EPA Seeks To Address Wild Fuel Economy Claims of Electric Cars
Posted: Oct. 02, 2009 10:10:26 a.m.
The Chevy Volt, General Motors says, should earn an EPA rating of 230 mpg. The Nissan Leaf will beat that, its builders say, with a 367 mpg rating.
The EPA isn't so sure.
USA Today reports, "The concept of judging fuel efficiency on electric cars by the ‘miles per gallon' they consume is dying a slow death. The EPA and other government agencies are working on a formula that will accurately tell people how fuel efficient electric vehicles are ...
Average New Car MPG Level Hits Record High After Cash For Clunkers
Posted: Sep. 30, 2009 10:09:58 a.m.
It's debatable whether Cash for Clunkers did any widespread good, but the program has had a visible affect on what Americans drive. Ward's Auto reports, "Consumers went for miles-per-gallon in a big way in August, as U.S. light-vehicle sales achieved a record fuel-efficiency rating." The average mpg of new cars purchased in August "hit a 23 mpg...up 1% from the previous high set in July," the first month of the Cash for Clunkers program.
Autoblog adds ...
That Ain't No Clunker! Federal List Shows Some Inexplicable Trade-Ins
Posted: Sep. 25, 2009 10:09:28 a.m.
The 1997 Bentley Continental R was a piece of junk. Barely worth $3,500. The 1997 Aston Martin DB7? Worth as little as an old Ford Explorer. The 2006 Roush Ford F-150? With its 450 horsepower V8, it was worth about as much as a 1996 Dodge Caravan.
At least, that's what somebody somewhere seems to have thought.
Motor Trend reports, "Before the government's CARS 'Cash for Clunkers' program opened its doors, many car enthusiasts voiced opposition to ...
