Can the hybrid version appeal where TDI has not? Can hybrid technology lift VW’s US sales? Back in college an old girlfriend drove a Volkswagen Jetta. I loved it, although I was glad I had the privilege of just driving it, not owning it. That Jetta seemed to need more servicing than normal, and it [...]
GM's eAssist makes sense according to Intellichoice Toyota dominates list of 2012 Best Values You know the line. Hybrids just don’t add up. The hybrid premium isn’t made up for decades, long after the car has expired. Blah, blah, blah. Yet, over and over numerous forms of analysis regarding such trivial issues as cost of [...]
2020: More e-bikes in China than cars in US 100 million electric vehicles strong and growing fast Back as the Internet bubble was beginning to froth, I remember some very smart people making the argument that no one was ever going to challenge Microsoft without government intervention. The government didn’t need to create competition, I [...]
Price premium for that lifetime battery guarantee? Just a hybrid marketing ploy? Last month we covered Hyundai’s lifetime Sonata hybrid battery warranty that guarantees that Hyundai will replace the lithium-ion battery pack in the Sonata hybrid and recycle it, if needed. Then, however, we weren’t sure if that warranty would be transferable. Unfortunately, the warranty [...]
The larger V couldn't lift Prius sales much in January A 20 percent improvement should feel better than this One might assume that a 20 percent improvement in Toyota’s hybrid sales, led by an 8.6 percent gain in Prius sales, is a great hybrid sale’s story compared to last year. It certainly squashes the idea [...]
The Volt is better than just 600 sales in January. Or was the Volt simply over-hyped Just hours after the debut of the Chevy Volt concept car at the Detroit Auto Show — almost a lifetime ago it seems already — Bob Lutz sat down with a small group of bloggers to discuss this revolutionary [...]
VW taking microhybrid leadership to full hybrids soon 39 million micro-hybrids in the next five years New analysis by Lux Research suggests hybrid vehicles have a much bigger interim future than most might expect, especially here in America. Unfortunately, that future is driven by micro-hybrids, but at least that’s still a bit of an improvement. [...]
The world's best selling car Forget just US sales, let’s think worldwide Before the end of this decade, Toyota believes the Prius family will outsell the Camry. Whatever. Why not shoot for the moon? Within this decade, could a car like the Prius C help the family outsell the Corolla, and I mean in terms [...]
The wrong kind of range extended plug-in through 2025? Leaf, Plug-in Prius, and Volt all bad by design? Not surprisingly the California Air Resources Board unanimously passed its Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) program for the technological requirements to meet emission requirements from 2015 – 2025. Under the plan, for instance, 1 out of 7 cars, [...]
The X plug-in SUV makes sense, but I'd like something more daring Could a higher plug-in standard be set? If you believe in the trickle down theory of technology, the Tesla Model X — teased today by Tesla — makes a lot of sense. A luxury electric SUV compliments Tesla’s Model S, creating greater scale, [...]
