I've focused this week's blogs on the newest hybrid vehicles on the market for the 2010 automotive year, and today is no exception. Today's Web clip features the 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML 450 Hybrid; but fear not, as there are no boring narrators or bad techno music on this video to pull attention away from the car. In fact, the only sounds you'll hear are those of the vehicle against the wind.
The M-class rocks a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 335 horsepower and starts about $55,000. The 450 ML gets about 22.5 miles per gallon between city driving and highway miles.
In case you haven't been following along with the blog this week, I've been devoting this week to covering some of the recent hybrid vehicles that have been unleashed for the 2010 automotive year. Today we're turning our attention to the Porsche Cayenne hybrid model and it sure looks and run like a Porsche should.
The 2010 Porsche Cayenne hybrid version is the result of their collaboration with Volkswagen to create a "green" version of this popular SUV. Its main selling points seem to be the fact that the Cayenne hybrid emits roughly 20% less CO2 gas than its comparable competitors while maintaining the sporty traits associated with the Porsche brand. This video clip shows the Cayenne hybrid in action along the road, as well as showing sketch models of how the car operates and how it is put together in the factory. This is an intriguing hybrid vehicle that will be interesting to watch as it continues to develop.
In the minds of many American car buyers, domestic manufacturers cannot compete with many of their foreign counterparts when it comes to being environmentally-friendly and fuel efficient. But--surprise--the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has easily eclipsed nearly all its hybrid competitors by reaching more than 40 miles per gallon both on the highway and in city driving. That's just one of many positive attributes to the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid sedan, and in this video, we get a closer look at this American hybrid vehicle.
This Web clip gives us a good look at the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid in action, and gives us the technical specs that should consider when buying any car, and not just a hybrid. This new edition of the Fusion hybrid has finally eclipsed the Toyota Camry hybrid in terms of fuel economy, and its cutting edge LCD panel can help the driver in maximizing their gas mileage in real time. In short, Ford has offered up a legitimate alternative to so-called highbrow hybrid vehicles that can convincingly run with (and possibly beat) its overseas competitors.
I'm still running through notes I made when visiting the 52nd Annual International Auto Show here in my current residence of San Francisco, California regarding cars and topics to feature here in this blog. I'm still rolling-rolling-rolling like Limp Bizkit (did I spell that right?) and about to get all environmental with a video about one of the several hybrids I saw at the 2009 IAS, the 2010 Lexus RX450h.
The RX450h isn't Lexus's first foray into the mid-sized hybrid game and really it isn't all that different cosmetically from the outgoing RX400h. Likewise, based on much of what I've read about the RX450h that it isn't all that better for the environment or fuel economy than it's gas guzzling Lexus counterparts. But it ain't all bad - it's as plush and fashionable as one might expect a Lexo to be, and just the fact that Lexus has been making a concerted effort to jump on the hybrid bandwagon in the end is probably a good thing.
Audi/VW's TDI technology grabs a Green Car of the Year twofer.
(Credit: CNET)For the second year in a row, the Green Car of the Year award has been handed to a clean diesel vehicle. This time around, it's the 2010 Audi A3 TDI and its 2.0-liter direct-injected turbo-diesel engine that's beaten its way to the top of a field populated mostly with gas-electric hybrids from Toyota, Mercury, and Honda.
Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal, which sponsors the award, cites the A3's EPA-estimated 42 highway mpg, five-seater hatchback functionality, and fun driving experience seasoned with healthy portions of low-end torque as the reasons for its success.
The Green Car of the Year is awarded annually at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Previous winners of the award include the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, and the Mercury Mariner Hybrid.
GET's 5W-30 G-Oil.
(Credit: Green Earth Technologies)Green Earth Technologies (GET) announced Wednesday that its environmentally friendly motor oil for cars will soon be available on shelves across the U.S.
The manufacturer of the biodegradable, carbon neutral motor oil made in part from the animal fat of beef slaughter byproducts has been waiting on certification from the American Petroleum Institute before selling its G-Oil to the public.
G-Oil has received API starburst certification, a symbol put on a product's packaging to signify it meets specific standards and is recommended for use by leading vehicle manufacturers. GET's car oil was additionally granted the API service symbol donut, a seal signifying an oil product has "energy-conserving properties in a standard test in comparison to a reference oil."
Until recently, GET has only been selling a 2-cycle G-Oil and a 4-cycle 10W-30 G-Oil for use in small-motor things like lawn mowers and tractors.
Now that the API approval has come, GET, which will be showcasing new products at the AAPEX show in Las Vegas next week, says consumers will begin to see its G-Oil motor oil for cars and trucks at leading national chains. It already began selling its product at National Auto Stores, a Pennsylvania-based chain, as of October 1.
The announcement is not just good news for a company. If the majority of the general public starts buying motor oil that biodegrades rather than taints groundwater, it could have a meaningful impact on the environment. Used motor oil from a single oil change that is dumped into the ground can contaminate about 1 million gallons of fresh water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
But, of course, the motor oil has to work well with your car.
While the International Motor Sports Association's American Le Mans Series has adopted G-Oil as its official motor oil of choice, the real test will be whether or not the American driving public and car enthusiasts like how it performs in their cars.
While no formal announcement has been made, it's likely a deal is in the works with the retailers already carrying G-Oil for small motors. This would include chains like Amazon.com, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and True Value, among others.
The drumbeat gets louder against driving while texting, it's hybrid vs. diesel for Green Car of the Year, GM says selling on eBay was great--but we're over it! And we go for a ride in a new retractable Lexus that is either BMW's nightmare--or a total chick car.
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EPISODE 139
SHOW NOTES• Federal employees banned from driving while texting -- are you next?
• Vote for Green Car of the Year
• We get an early ride in the Acura ZDX
Five cars enter, one car leaves. Well, actually all five cars get to leave, but only one with the title.
(Credit: CNET)Every year, for the past four years, Green Car Journal picks its Green Car of the Year at the LA Auto Show. Well, the LA Show will be here before you know it, so it's time to start thinking about this year's contestants, which have been narrowed down to five finalists.
The finalists include the Audi A3 TDI, the Honda Insight, the Mercury Milan Hybrid, the Toyota Prius, and the Volkswagen Golf TDI. That's two VW turbodiesels and a trio of hybrids; or four small hatchbacks and a small sedan. No matter how you look at it, there's not too much variation this year. However, three of the vehicles have taken our Editors' Choice award at different times this year and two of them have already done battle in a CNET Prizefight, so it will be interesting to see which is chosen as the overall winner.
A panel of jurors (which includes notables such as Jay Leno, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Carroll Shelby, Matt Petersen of Global Green USA and the Sierra Club's Carl Pope) will have to pick one of these vehicles to be crowned the fifth annual Green Car of the Year--which, by the way, is a very different thing from Greenest Car of the Year. There's apparently a bit more that goes into the choosing than just raw fuel economy and emissions numbers.
Last year, it was the Volkswagen Jetta TDI that walked rolled off with the 2009 crown by winning over the judges with its real-world performance and relatively low price. The year before that, it was the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid which was a really big hybrid that didn't return really big mpgs, but still managed to improve fuel economy by a massive 25-percent over the conventional model. Looking way back to the 2007 and 2006 winners, we can see that the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Mercury Mariner Hybrid have also seen time in the winners' circle.
Editor's note: Polling is closed, the judges have voted, and the results are in. The 2010 Green Car of the Year award has gone to...
A lot of cars from a variety of manufacturers made their world debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Perhaps one of the most noteworthy automobiles to emerge out of Frankfurt was the Audi R8 E-Tron concept car. Yes, it is certainly flashy and eye appealing. But what may be more appealing to an increasingly eco-friendly world of car consumers, this car has no engine (WHAT?!!!). Yeah, I said it - NO ENGINE. This baby is powered by a feisty lithium ion battery packs, and supposedly runs completely off electrical energy. Impressive, eh?
Today we're putting the "Tech" back into this Car Tech blog with a web video produced by CarAndDriver.com straight outta Frankfurt with some glorious, up-close footage of the revolutionary Audi E-Tron plus we get more details on how the car works and its potential impact on the auto industry. Supposedly, this E-Tron Concept car will only be available in extremely limited quantities, especially in markets foreign to the Audi make. I dare not utter how much this vehicle sells for, as it would make my heart shrivel up in its poverty-bound reality. But alas, I still appreciate the beauty of the car's sleek, aerodynamic style and eco-minded concept.
Monday, we told you about a breakthrough in robotics that allows killer machines to be powered by compressed air. Now we've got this amazing video of a motorcycle that uses the same power source. The so-called Air Bike was created by engineering students in India as a prototype for a solution to the country's prevalent smog problem.
Sure, it only goes 11 mph now, but as a proof-of-concept vehicle it's pretty cool. I could imagine a smaller vehicle (bike? moped?) with the same gear that could go much faster as a final product, if it gets that far.
The only problem I see is that compressing air takes energy, and often air compressors are powered by the same gasoline that this cycle is meant to eliminate the need for. If they can find a way to use electric compressors only, then this concept is definitely worth pursuing.
(Via Newlaunches.com)
