Just as the Mercedes S400 is set to be shipped to U.S. dealers, Mercedes Benz has unveiled another future model in the Mercedes S500 Vision Plug-in Hybrid at the Frankfurt Auto Show. With the eventual coming of this new hybrid Mercedes vehicle, expect the Mercedes S500 to invade the luxury hybrid ring soon.

The S500 features economical fuel consumption, burning only 3.2 liters for every 100 KMS. Add as well the lower CO2 emissions for something as big as the S500 and a V6 petrol engine with fuel injection and you get the flexibility due from luxury hybrid cars today.

From the looks of it, while we are praising the coming of the S400, the S500 looks promising as well. The only difference is we don’t have an idea when it would come out or how much this would cost in the market.

(Source) Automo Blog

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Transportation needs are important for people finding themselves in different places and normally, it is up to the available vehicles for rent to provide some transport solutions. And now, thanks to this extension in the working relationship of Europcar and easyJet, prospective travelers can still enjoy advanced booking on their transportation needs via the easyJet website.

Through the partnership with Europcar, easyJet customers also benefit from guaranteed Europcar car hire availability at particularly competitive rates across the latest model vehicles ensuring minimal CO2 emissions.

To celebrate the Europcar partnership’s extension, from June 15th easyJet passengers can receive exclusive car hire deals upon their arrival at the airport or at any one of Europcars 2,500 car rental agencies around Europe. Other benefits include free additional driver and upgrades through on-line booking. The offers apply to passengers for all easyJet routes and destinations around Europe and the Mediterranean region.

(Source) Press

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We have all been hearing the advent of biofuels and apparently Shell will be the first service station to introduce advanced biofuel made from wheat straw. All this will take effect on June 10 where a Shell Station based in Canada will blend 10% cellulosic ethanol to all regular gasoline purchased.

Cellulosic ethanol, as an end fuel, is identical to ethanol but it can offer up to 90% less lifecycle CO2 emissions than gasoline. It is a key part of Shell’s strategic investment and development program in sustainable biofuels.

“We’re proud of this world-first,” said Brian Foody, Chief Executive Officer of Iogen Corporation. “Building a demo plant is one thing but you then need to go through the process of operating the new technology at scale, learning, modifying and lowering costs. With the volumes we’re producing today, we’re confident about the future.”

The next thing we have to do now is to see how it will affect the vehicle performance and if they are indeed reliable as what studies say. To date, it is still too early to rejoice and a lot of factors, mostly on the end of the consumers, have to be addressed and this includes the reaction of their cars to this new kind of fuel.

(Source) Press

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Tires play an important role in helping vehicles in their fuel efficiency issues and apparently Michelin has an answer to that. This is of course with reference to their latest line of tires, the Michelin Energy Saver A/S tire. These tires are designed for exceptional levels of fuel-efficiency, while delivering an environmentally-friendly performance package that is unprecedented in the industry.

Michelin Energy Saver Construction technology keeps the tire cooler, helping the engine to improve its fuel-efficiency. It is up to 8 percent more fuel-efficient than other tires in its class and can reduce a vehicle’s CO2 emissions by as much as 2,000 pounds of CO2.

The Michelin Energy Saver A/S tire is now available in four sizes that include popular mainstream and hybrid vehicles. The sizes are: P215/60R16; P195/65R15; P195/60R15 and P185/65R15.

So if your car is due for a tire change, check out these new ones from Michelin, the reliable and familiar name in tires for better performing cars.

(Source) Press

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The call for cars to start applying some eco-friendly decency is on and Lamborghini happens to be one of them. For their part, the target is to cut their carbon emissions by 35% by 2015, a move that will surely be welcomed with open arms in the car industry.

Add to that they will be making their models lighter, adding another factor in efficient motoring as they take some load off the fuel consumption of their popular luxury cars. To top it all off, their manufacturing plants will be cutting emissions as well, turning to solar panels for better heating and lighting systems needed today.

The firm has already launched an updated Gallardo LP 560-4 with an 18% reduction in CO2 emissions by using direct injection to the engine.

(Source) Verdict On Cars

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Toyota launches its first internal combustion hybrid lift truck, GENEO-HYBRID, an 8,000 lb. counterbalanced lift truck that combines a 2.5-liter diesel engine, electric motor and nickel-metal hydride battery to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 50%. This new offering from Toyota Industrial Corporation will make its debut in the Japanese market this December.

As businesses look to reduce fuel costs and decrease CO2 emissions, Toyota Hybrid technology offers a practical, proven solution by capitalizing on the advantages of existing fuel sources and infrastructure. The new GENEO-HYBRID lift truck will cut CO2 emissions and fuel consumption in half while delivering the operational performance of an equivalent conventional diesel-powered lift truck. The result is a lift truck that provides both improved environmental performance and economic benefits for customers due to lower fuel costs.

“Toyota has been a leader in hybrid development for years with the very popular Prius vehicle,” said Brett Wood, president of TMHU. “We are excited to see hybrid technology entering the mainstream of material handling. This is a huge step forward for our industry.”

(Source) Press

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Thanks to its fleet of vehicles committed towards curbing down carbon emissions and providing an improved fuel-efficient lineup, Vauxhall’s ecoFlex vehicles have been lauded by Fleet World. Vauxhall has some notable vehicles under its wing that includes the Vauxhall Insignia and Astra ecoFlex, which have so far done their part in contributing towards an eco-friendly environment.

‘With its ecoFLEX range, Vauxhall has committed to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in cars with conventional internal combustion engines: It achieves this through clever technological and aerodynamic innovation. The aim is, quite simply, to make highly efficient vehicles available at affordable prices.

Without a doubt, Vauxhall has achieved all that. And with their vehicles going green, it should not be surprising why this car brand may be one of the car companies to run to especially if you are planning to get into the eco-friendly driving bit.

(Source) Easier.com

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Combine speed and CO2 emission controls and you are bound to get a lot of anxious motorists check out what you have to offer. Already a known figure in the world of Hyundais and Ferraris, Italdesign Giugiaro unveils a hybrid concept car Namir.

The Namir is a concept jointly designed through the efforts of Giugiaro and Frazer-Nash. Their latest project is that of this new hybrid systems which is touted to be better than the Toyota Prius as far as CO2 emissions are concerned, not to mention a fast demonic hybrid car that can go as far as 187 miles per hour.

The Namir combines an 814 cc endothermic rotary engine with four electric motors in a system that those involved in project claim delivers 91 mpg and CO2 emissions of 60 g/km. The Toyota Prius emits 104 g/km. Those are impressive numbers, but the number that really wows us is the claimed top speed of 187 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 3.5 seconds.

(Source) Auto Racing Daily

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It seems that United States President Barack Obama is really kicking his green campaign into high gear, recently explaining to the public that we desperately need to form a greener society.

Apparently, Obama thinks America is ready to “be part of a mission” to end our dependency on foreign oil and move towards a cleaner energy source. But how?

Well, enforce a CO2 cap & trade program, of course! Not to mention the need to move away from those damn gas guzzling vehicles. Let’s hope America believes in the President enough to follow his words because if not, it could cost us our future.

Read (HybridCarBlog)

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Leave it to Hella Electronics Corporation to come up with the solution to your car needs as they try to stay in line with the responsible and conservative car owners. The shift in U.S. buying patterns has caused some vehicle manufacturers to re-think how new fuel and carbon dioxide (CO2)-saving vehicles should be marketed to technology-savvy drivers who may want a premium sound system in a smaller vehicle.

Hella believes most U.S. car buyers can have it both ways by applying energy management principles learned in Europe, where drivers are accustomed to more expensive fuel prices. Today, technologies such as automatic start-stop controls, intelligent battery sensors, electronic pedal sensors, fuel-quality and oil-quality sensors, demand-driven fuel pumps and electric vacuum pumps are available and in use to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The savings in energy use can then be applied to comfort and convenience options U.S. buyers want.

Among their line of consumer saving gadgets include:

• Automatic Start-Stop Increases Hybrid Vehicle Fuel Savings
• Intelligent Battery Sensor Saves 3.8 Grams of Carbon Dioxide Per Mile
• Hella’s Accelerator Pedal-Sensor Module Sets the Pace Globally in Fuel Efficiency
• Integrating Electronic Systems is Key to Improvements in Energy Consumption

Hella is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Nearly 25,000 people work in 70 manufacturing facilities and production subsidiaries throughout the world, including more than 3,500 research-and-development engineers and technicians. Customers include all of the world’s leading vehicle and systems manufacturers, as well as the automotive parts aftermarket.

(Source) Press

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Visitors at the Seoul Motor Show caught a glimpse today of the all-new Kia Sorento. Longer and lower, the new Sorento brings sleek styling and a futuristic touch to the world of the urban CUV. With its longer front overhang, wedge profile, crisply defined greenhouse and accentuated wheelarch volumes, Kia’s new CUV looks thoroughly modern and sporty.

The 4.7-metre long new Sorento moves vehicle design in this segment up to a new level of sophistication.

As part of Kia’s drive to expand market coverage with its latest CUV, the new Sorento will be manufactured with a total of four engines – with different engines being available in various regions around the world in order to best suit local requirements and with CO2 emissions from just 173 g/km.

The new Sorento is not expected to reach the UK market until 2010

(Source) Girlracer

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You can just imagine how many Toyota cars are roaming around Turkey right now as the company has announced the production of their 1 millionth vehicle, a milestone that coincides with the start of production for the new third generation Toyota Verso.

The Adapazari-based Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) plant has produced over 430,000 Verso models since 2004 and plans to manufacture 55,000 units of the new model in its first full year of sales.

Launched at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, new Verso is a no-compromise MPV that offers more space, comfort and practicality, and benefits from the latest occupant and pedestrian safety features. Ride quality, acoustic comfort and dynamic abilities match those of conventional passenger cars.

Introducing Toyota Optimal Drive throughout the Verso range has returned increases in engine power of up to 20 per cent, while fuel economy and CO2 emissions show improvements of up to 12 per cent, compared to the current model.

(Source) Paddock

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The Toyota Prius may be running on batteries but this does not mean that they are totally emission free. In fact, they are bound to produce some issues once on the road and the best people to answer these things in mind is no other than Toyota itself.

With the current Toyota Prius they looked at a vehicle’s whole life cycle, how it’s made, driven and disposed of. Based on 10 years’ use and driving 150,000km, the Prius achieves a 43 per cent reduction in the amount of CO2 emissions during its life when compared to a petrol engine vehicle of a similar size.

Although it is accepted that there are more emissions used in the initial manufacture of the vehicle and, in particular, its battery, after about 11,000km of driving, the life cycle CO2 becomes less than that for a similar petrol vehicle. It passes out diesel at 35,000km.

Toyota added that, given the improvements within the production process at the Tsutsumi plant in Japan where Prius is produced, it is quite possible that these figures have improved since this report was first produced.

(Source) Independent

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Honda has been finding ways to make it through the economic issues and apparently they are on the right track. Honda’s auto plants in Ohio and Alabama have received Energy Star awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for advances in curbing energy use during the production of passenger cars and light trucks.

For the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2008, Honda’s average CO2 emissions per vehicle produced in North America were at their lowest levels since the company began measuring results in 2001. The EPA bases the award points on the amount of energy needed to produce an automobile, and includes factors such as vehicle size and production volume.

In Ohio, Honda of America Mfg., Inc.’s Marysville Auto Plant and East Liberty Auto Plant each earned top energy performance scores of 100 points. Both plants continue to find new ways to reduce the use of electricity and natural gas. Honda has focused most of these activities on more efficient use of lighting, chiller systems, motors, metering, heating, compressed air and air conditioning.

The Marysville plant produces the Honda Accord sedan and coupe, and the Acura TL and RDX, while the East Liberty plant manufactures the Honda CR-V and Element.

(Source) Press

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It is simple marketing. How can you sell something if you don’t have people stocking them or offering them for sale? The same is true in the auto industry. Apparently, if you don’t have dealers, what other means can customers use as far as purchasing new cars outside the actual manufacturer?

According to Arthur D. Little’s latest report, even before the full impact of the global credit crisis hit the automotive industry in the second half of 2008, the sector faced major changes to its competitive arena, which were brought about by: regulatory pressure on CO2 emissions, international safety standards, high oil prices, and changing customer lifestyles.

Competition amongst global players has been pushed even further as a dramatic increase in overall vehicle quality over the past decade had progressively weakened the role of the product itself as the key differentiator.

“Dealerships have a major role to play in delivering an excellent brand experience that will attract new customers and retain the existing base. Despite product differentiators, more responsibility for the customer’s overall brand experience must lie with the dealer, and automotive brands are ultimately reliant on their dealer networks to manage customers’ in-store buying experience from start to finish in order to build the global brand.”

(Source) Press

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