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...

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,...

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...

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...