Mercedes-Benz S 400 HYBRID- click above to enlarge The marquee fact about Mercedes-Benz's upcoming new S-Class hybrid, the S 400, is that it will be the first series production hybrid to use a lithium-ion battery pack. Daimler, however, would like us all to know that there is more to the car than its battery. Take for example, the automatic sto...

We've heard a few snippets about Global Green Cars, a new electric and plug-in hybrid automaker down in Kentucky, earlier this year. Back in April, the company was giving out test rides in a converted Geo Metro right after announcing plans to build EVs in the Bluegrass State. The company has now put images of three new vehicles on its website that...

Toyota is reportedly preparing to produce a hybrid version of its Auris for the European market at its plant in the UK. If it happens, production is intended in to start in about 2012. The Auris is a compact hatchback that is related to the Corolla. The new Lexus HS250h shares some under-structure and suspension componentry with the Auris. It's not...

Need further proof that interest in hybrid and diesel vehicles is directly linked to the average price for a gallon of gasoline? According to CarMax, the largest retailer of used cars in the States, searches for hybrid vehicles on its website are up four percent in June over May while diesel are even hotter with a seven-percent increase. Further, t...

Photos: Fiat. After a three-year developing phase, the Brazilian subsidiary of Fiat is producing an electric version of the Fiat Palio Weekend. The car manufacturers claim it has about 75 miles of autonomy (120 kilometers), 60 MPH speed, and an estimated price of 70 thousand USD. Nothing compared to models like the Tesla Model S in terms of speed,...

Audi R15 TDI - click above for high-res gallery Given the current economic difficulties, automakers are finding it increasingly difficult to justify participation in motorsports. Series such as NASCAR and Formula 1, in particular, are finding their relevance questioned. One area that seems to be doing OK, for now, is sports car racing such as the ...

Photo of the MiEV designed in Cypress, CA in 2006 from Intellichoice.com If you thought Japanese people always suck their teeth and hide their real feelings, do listen to Yuuki Sakurai, chief executive of Tokyo-based Fukoku Capital Management Inc., a fund that oversees about $10 billion in Tokyo: He thinks car makers Suzuki and Mitsubishi should c...

Photo via Flickr The bicycle is an amazing technological innovation, and creative people never seem to run out of amazing ways to use it. While the riders in the Tour de France are now using their bikes to descend mountain passes at speeds in excess of 60 mph, others are using bikes for more practical and charitable purposes. Case in point: The Ch...

It may sound a bit like something from a Dr. Seuss book, but it seems "green gasoline" is indeed on its way to a pump near you. Terrabon, a Texas-based company specializing in biofuels, reports its alternative fuel is completely compatible with gasoline and can be produced using nearly any kind of organic material, including sewer sludge.Terrabon u...

MINI E - click above for high-res image gallery Those paying close attention might have noticed that as MINI USA has been delivering battery-powered MINI Es in recent weeks, the range estimate is being quoted as 100 miles. Last November, when we first saw and drove the MINI E, the range was estimated at 156 miles. When we actually drove the car in...

It looks like Ford won't be the only company getting lithium ion battery packs from Magna International. The Magna Steyr division of the supplier announced last week that it will begin production of packs at its plant in Graz, Austria next month. The packs will be supplied to Volvo for use in its buses, heavy duty trucks and garbage trucks equipped...

While a few small boutique motorcycle manufacturers have dipped a toe or two into diesel engines for motorcycles, the established brands have barely ever offered even a hint of interest in oil-burners. At least, not until now. Yamaha has apparently filed patents for a new series of motorcycle-size turbodiesel engines in both inline-four and twin-cy...

Image via: Tesla The first Tesla Store located outside of California opens its doors this week. Here's how you can be part of the grand opening party and get to ride in a Tesla Roadster.... ...

Look Like They Had a Great Time Our friends at StreetFilms produced this great short film about the Tour de Queen 2009 (the second annual edition, mark your calendar for next year!), which t... ...

There are companies that burst onto the scene producing not one, but several innovative products and there are companies that promise lots of tech that just sounds too good to be true. Which category ETV Motors falls into is yet to be determined, but their recent demonstration of a proof-of-concept range extended electric vehicle (REEV) utilizing a...

Fisker Karma Sunset Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery When Ford announced its tie-up with Magna International to build an electric vehicle earlier this year, there was a lot to learn about how the auto industry as a whole can benefit from these kinds of partnerships. Now, in a three-part series (I, II, III) about Fisker Automotive's...

1967 Honda N600 So far, Honda has been one of the few automakers that has remained steadfast in not pursuing plug-in electric or hybrid vehicles, at least publicly. That, of course, doesn't preclude anyone else from going down that path. In fact, the idea of a plug-in Honda is certainly not a new one judging by today's eBay find of the day. The se...

2008 Chevy Malibu Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery General Motors' current crop of midsize hybrid sedans are rarely mentioned in the same breath as hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima - let alone the standard-bearing Toyota Prius and its main competitor from Japan, the Honda Insight. According to The G...

We got a note from Xtreme Green Vehicles last week announcing that their X Rider was the first electric motorcycle to receive a Certificate of Conformity from the EPA. We thought this was unusual, since X Rider is not the only ebike available (see Zero X and Brammo for two examples), but it turns out to be accurate. The EPA confirmed to AutoblogGre...

Tesla Roadster - Click above image for high-res gallery Just two months after buying 9% of Tesla Motors, Daimler has reportedly sold nearly half of that stake. According to Reuters, a 4% percent of the electric car startup is now owned by Aabar Investments, an Abu Dhabi-based investment fund. In a way, the stake is still in the family, since Aabar...