Toyota looks set to launch two new Prius models in Detroit, one's a mystery

It's a sure-fire bet that Toyota will unveil its upright Prius MPV at the North American International Auto Show in a couple of weeks, a rather more roomy and practical version of the hybrid that really started it all. And, of course, the plug-in model we tested in October will be surely rocking the floor. Now we're hearing that another as of yet unreleased Prius will be on display, simply referred to as a "Prius concept vehicle." Concept cars of course range from the mundane to the insane, and knowing Toyota we're guessing this one will fall squarely into the former category. Just the same we're hoping for a tire-shredding, slalom-eating, RWD hybrid Prius Supra model. We'll be there in Detroit when the unveil happens and we'll be sure to bring some tissues to wipe away our tears of disappointment.

via :Green.Autoblog.com

Reva's text-to-recharge electric car rolls to a standstill the US

Remember the electric car with the ingenious hook of a reserve battery that can only be accessed in the case of an emergency by texting or calling the car's manufacturer? Well, it appears that the project is having a bit of trouble getting off the ground in the US, though it shockingly doesn't have anything to do with that flagship feature. As the story goes, upstart Bannon Automotive signed a deal with the car's manufacturer, India-based Reva Electric Car Company, that gave it the exclusive license to manufacture and sell the car in the US, but Bannon is now alleging that Reva broke its agreements and says it's been left with no choice but to take legal action. Ill-conceived feature aside, the stakes in the lawsuit are fairly high, as Bannon Automotive was actually formed with the sole intention of bringing the Reva electric car to the US, and it had hoped to bring as many as 250 jobs to Onondaga County, New York.

via ; Syracuse.com

Nissan’s Electric Vehicles: New Models At Tokyo Auto Salon 2011 – January 14th~16th Next Year

Searching for great green automotive for the next two years? Folks at Nissan have been thinking about the shape for future EVs, and has released several new models that might catch your attention. More info on the latest EV models during the Tokyo Auto Salon 2011, which will be held from January 14-16, 2011 at Makuhari Messe, Japan.

The first one is Nissan LEAF Aero Style Concept that designed with aero body kit using a new bumper and flat black and white wheels for sportier outlook.

Second model is the mini-crossover Nissan JUKE Sporty Package Concept, which will be equipped with exterior accessories designed for European and North American markets including chrome parts and 17-inch allow wheels.

Third model is Nissan Elgrand Rider Premium Concept, designed by Autech, a subsidiary of Pro tuner, offering outlook approaching Toyota’s Alphard.

No info on pricing and availability yet.

via ; Autoblog.com

Fisker’s hybrid car Karma increases price to $95,900

Everyone does their little bit for the environment. Fisker Automotive too are doing their two-bits with their electric-drive car; the now $95,900 (baseline price) eco-friendly automobile, Karma. Originally announced in 2007, while the company’s first plug-in hybrid has still not reached production, its price has seen a considerable jump from the initial announced price of $80,000. Speaking of the car, its aesthetics and eco-friendly features does promise to put Karma in a league of its own. The Fisker Karma will be a four-door plug-in hybrid capable of doing 50 miles of all-electric driving and then further hundreds of miles with the help of a gas engine.

Mass production is expected to begin in February 2011. Clichéd, but any more delays and we’re going to have to question its Karma after all!

[Engadget.com]

Tucson ix: Hyundai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle – Join The Party!

Hyundai’s third generation of fuel cell electric vehicle is Tucson ix. You might have been asking what is the difference between fuel cell EV and conventional EV? Conventional EV requires longer time span to fully recharge the EVs, while fuel cell EVs, take shorter time to accomplish the charging process.

Hyundai’s third generation Tucson ix Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) will allow the EV’s the SUV users to travel up to 650km or about 404miles after a single charge using the 100-kW fuel cell system and two hydrogen storage tanks (700 bar or 10152.64 psi). Hyundai claims the third generation is 76 percent more energy efficient compare to the second-generation Tucson FCEV, which only manage to reach 230 miles or about 370 km after a single charge.


Moreover, the third generation of Hyundai’s Tucson ix Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) could lso start at below minus condition, as low as minus 13°F (-25°C).

The third generation of Tucson ix FCEV has similar maximum speed to the second generation, reaching 100 mph (160 km/h), but boasting up to 15 percent of increment in fuel efficiency (72.9MPG or about 31km/liter). That was achieved through the modularization of bulky components in the fuel cell system, including the balance of plant (BOP), fuel cell stack, inverter and voltage junction box.

Hyundai is planning for mass production of the Tucson ix Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) by 2015, you should expect to see more news about Hyundai Tucson ix Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle testing starting next year.

via; worldwide.hyundai.com

Porsche will reveal new mid-engine sports car in LA

Porsche has officially announced its plans to reveal a "mid-engined sports car" next week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, in addition to showing off its latest crop of 911 models – the GTS and Speedster. It might sound vague, but we're placing bets that the German automaker's big reveal is the much-rumored Cayman Clubsport, a sort of "hardtop Boxster Spyder."

According to earlier reports, the Cayman CS will be motivated by the automaker's 3.4-liter flat-six, with power expected to be around 333 horsepower. Much like its Boxster kin, the Clubsport's main objective will be lightness, with sources saying that anywhere from 162 to 184 pounds will be shed from the stock Cayman S body. This means things like fabric door pulls, aluminum body components and lightweight alloy wheels will be on hand, keeping the Clubsport focused on being a nimble, spirited track day queen.

We'll have the official word live from Los Angeles next week, so stay tuned. To read all of the elusive details, follow the jump for Porsche's press release.

[Source: Porsche]

Videos: First look at Audi Q5 Hybrid ahead of LA debut

Audi has big plans for this year's LA Auto Show. The company plans to unveil an all-new hybrid version of its Q5, and a couple of videos of the machine have already made their way onto the internet. From what we can tell, power comes courtesy of a 208 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine coupled to a 44 horsepower electric motor. All told, the set up is good for 354 pound-feet of torque.

Those are stout numbers by any measure, but the really impressive bit comes from the fact that the vehicle can whisk along on full-electric power for up to 1.9 miles, all while cracking off a 0-60 mph run in a little over seven seconds. Keep your peepers peeled for more information as we move closer to the LA show





[Source: World Car Fans]

Three colors available for U.S.-spec Fiat 500

Next week's Los Angeles Auto Show marks the official debut of the America-bound Fiat 500, and we'd be liars if we said we weren't immensely excited for the pint-sized hatch's arrival here on our shores.

Fiat has now posted on its Facebook page the three colors available for the first batch of 500s, called Prima Edizione, slated for consumption here in the United States. Rosso (red), Bianco (white) and Grigio (grey) will all be on hand for the first round of Fiat customers, and we're eager to see the rest of the color choices that will come our way shortly thereafter.

All three colors are indeed flattering on the too-cute 500, though we're rather partial to the deep hue of Rosso or the understated Grigio. Of course, there's nothing wrong with the Bianco that we've come to love from afar all these years. See all three for yourself in the gallery, below.

[Source: Fiat USA Facebook]

First photos of U.S.-spec Mitsubishi i-MiEV revealed ahead of LA debut

We first saw sketches of what Mitsubishi's i-MiEV might look like when it arrives in the United States, and now we have the first official images a week before the car's public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Sure, the production-ready i-MiEV you see here loses many of the aggressive-looking elements of the preview sketch, but Mitsubishi has indeed followed through on its promise to offer more robust dimensions and an upgraded interior.

The U.S.-spec i-MiEV is 11.2 inches longer, 4.3 inches wider and 0.2 inches taller than the JDM version. We're glad that Mitsubishi has added a lot of length and width while only minimally increasing height, since that should beef up the rather narrow i-MiEV's stance here on American roads. Inside, the interior looks substantially more comfortable, with a two-tone color scheme and a redesigned center stack, encompassing updated audio and HVAC controls.

Mitsubishi is still targeting an on-sale date near the end of 2011 for the all-electric i-MiEV, with prices coming in below $30,000 (before government rebates). Hit the jump for Mitsubishi's official press blast.

U.S.-spec 2012 Mazda5 coming to LA Auto Show

We first saw the next-generation Mazda5 when it debuted in Geneva earlier this year, but now Mazda has confirmed that the version destined for the United States will be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. Badged as a 2012 model, the U.S.-spec Mazda5 won't differ all that much from its European kin in terms of appearance. A good thing, since the mini-minivan benefits from a healthy does of Mazda's swoopy Nagare design language.

Unsurprisingly, the 2012 Mazda5 will be powered by the same 157-horsepower, 2.5-liter inline-four that we enjoy in the Mazda3 and Mazda6. Happily, Mazda will still be offering the 5 with a manual transmission in addition to the standard automatic, making it more attractive to those of us who prefer the engagement that row-it-yourself gearboxes have to offer. Multi-configurable seating for six is available inside with the usual list of standard and optional features.

In addition to the new 5, Mazda will be bringing its Shinari concept that we had the chance to check out a few months back. It previews the next generation of Mazda styling language and we're eager to get up close and personal with it once again at the LA show. Follow the jump for Mazda's official press release.

BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics approved for production

According to the folks who follow all things BMW, the automaker's Vision Efficient Dynamics (VED) concept has been given the greenlight and a few details on the green machine have come along for the ride.

The VED's will reportedly carry either the i1 or i100 name, and that moniker will be placed on a chassis made of carbon fiber and powered first by either by a gas hybrid or fully electric motor. About a month ago it was rumored the coupe would first be available with the drivetrain from the ActiveHybrid 5 Concept, which itself was derived from the ActiveHybrid 7 Series. That option would be good for 300 horsepower thanks to a TwinPower turbo paired with a 40 kW electric motor and running through an eight-speed transmission.

Nissan dishes out specs* for the 2011 Leaf

Speculation surrounding the on-road abilities, battery size, curb weight and other trivial aspects of the 2011 Nissan Leaf should dwindle down soon now that Nissan of Europe has officially released a complete spec sheet for its battery-powered vehicle. Rather than linger on discussing info contained within the automaker's absurdly long press release, we'll move straight to the numbers.

The Soon Turn Three Wheels – Battery Powered Motorcycle With Gyroscopes

Uno electric motorcycle is designed by Ben Gulak, a Canadian studying Mechanical Engineering at Harvard University. The Uno motorcycle have two parallel wheels with a side by side configuration that resembles the outlook of a unicycle.

The difference to a unicycle are an angle iron, batteries, gyroscopes, and wheelchair motors. Gulak has also added appealing color to make the Uno motorcycle looks more attractive than a segway plus a motorized wheel-chair. Weighing approximately 120lbs, the wheelchair motors will let users to ride the Uno motorcycle up to 2.5 hours long.

Volvo’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell: Join The Waves?

A pleasant moment to read the news about what Volvo has been pushing in the past couple of months! The new Hydrogen Fuel Cell is somehow a silent agreement with the rest of the market that, the era of fossil fuel has come to an end, and green vehicle system is the ultimate answer for future means of transportation for our planet.

However, unlike those battery powered EVs, Volvo and a Sweden base company – Powercell, is now developing a new range of hybrid cars that combine the new hydrogen fuel cell technology would enjoy significant boost up of additional mileage by up to 155 miles or approximately another extra 250km!

And surprisingly the system seems to have similarities with Honda FCX Clarity‘s hybrid hydrogen EV system.