2011 Honda Jazz Hybrid

Honda Jazz HybridThe 2011 Honda Jazz Hybrid is set to debut at the Paris Auto Show in in September and should arrive in dealers lots early 2011.  The Jazz Hybrid (known as the Honda Fit in Japan and the US) is undergoing a 2011 update and is set to receive the hybrid engine just as the Fit did in Japan.It's expected to get similar gas mileage as the Insight, since it has the same underpinning as the Insight.  The IMA Hybrid system is the...

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Toyota Wants to Double Hybrid Sales

Toyota, by far the top seller of hybrid cars, wants to reach 5 million hybrid sales by 2015. That is twice what they've sold so far since 1997.Toyota released a five year 'environment impact plan' stating they wish to improve their carbon emissions by 25 percent and see a 25% gain in fuel efficiency over their 2005 levels.To top it off, they want to release a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle by fiscal 20...

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Toyota Test Plug-in Prius at Logan Airport

Toyota has been testing their plug-in Prius (due out in 2012 or so) in various sites and with different customers throughout the world. And now it's Logan Airport in Boston who gets to try one out.It will only be for two months as Toyota gathers feedback and testing information. Massport officials, who run Logan, will use the "car to drive to meetings, visit construction sites and terminals, and to help with other errands."That's most likely going to result in really good test results, as the miles driven at any time will most likely be very...

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Having Problems With Honda Civic Hybrid Battery Fix

According to visitors to hybridcars.com, the fix being applied to the software in the hybrid Civic is a little bit disappointing:Apparently, the software change does not directly address the battery problem—but instead reduces the vehicle’s reliance on the batteries and electric motor. Essentially, the “fix” extends the life of the battery, but turns a Civic Hybrid into a standard hybrid in the process. As a result, fuel economy is reduced from low- to mid-40 mpg, to the level of a standard hybrid in the mid-30s. The change also deprives the Honda...

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Honda Civic Hybrid Owners Get Software Fix for Battery Pack

Honda Civic Hybrid owners are starting to be notified that their hybrid battery pack could fail sooner than warranted by Honda. Model years 2006, 2007 and 2008 are affected by a software flaw that causes the battery to drain sooner than it should.Honda did not issue a recall since the flaw does not cause any danger to people's safety, but instead issued a technical service bulletin.But I'm betting owners aren't too happy to hear they've been driving around with something like this for a while. I would wonder if the software glitch had shortened...

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Detroit Edison Offers New Electric Car Buyers Special Rate

Detroit Edison is offering first buyers a lower price on electricity. For those who buy an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid vehicle, Edison is offering to the first 2,500 residential customers either a lower rate for charging during off-peak hours (11 pm - 9 am) or a monthly flat rate of $40 per vehicle.They are also willing to pay up to $2,500 for a residential charging station, although they expect a typical 220-volt station to retail at $600."We view -- as do a lot of people -- electric vehicles as something of the future," said Edward Falletich,...

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One Million Prius Sold in Japan and Counting

Although Toyota started selling the Prius in 1997, it wasn't until 2007 the 1 million milestone was passed. After that, it only took until 2009 to pass the 2 million mark. Now, with the incentives still in full swing and a backlog of orders, hybrid sales in Japan alone have passed the million marker. The Prius has been the top selling car in Japan for 15 months straight.Worldwide sales have topped 2.68 million.Toyota estimates that the hybrid vehicles they have sold since 1997 have led to approximately 4 million fewer tons3 of CO2 emissions—considered...

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Mild Hybrids Make a Come Back in 2011

GM is working on a second generation of mild hybrids to be available in the third quarter of 2011. They have a mid-sized sedan (they won't say which) for the US and another in China. The source (via Autonews) was Larry Nitz, GM executive director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering.That's great news and important if GM wants to meet the upcoming guidelines on fuel efficiency for their fleet of cars in the US. Not every car can be a hybrid or a plug in the coming years. Mild hybrids give a much smaller boost in fuel efficiency, but...

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Can Hyundai Get to 50 MPG?

Hyundai announced their plans to reach 50 mpg fleetwide by 2025. That's for all of its passenger cars and light duty trucks. That's a really impressive goal, considering the most fuel efficient car they have in the US right now gets 30 mpg combined.But this is by CAFE rules, where Hyundai is the leader at 30.9 mpg fleetwide. By 2016, the NHTSA is requiring automakers to get to 35.5 mpg. So, even the most fuel efficient automakers still have some ground to make up."We're committed to setting the pace in this industry on fuel economy, and we're...

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GM Invests in Bright IDEA

GM is investing in Bright Automotive. GM will become a minority owner in the company, while Bright will gain access to GM technologies, and advanced engine and transmission systems, for its vehicle. Bright is working on building a plug-in hybrid commercial vehicle.I'd say this was significant on a few fronts. A promising company built on creating a plug-in hybrid for commercial purposes is exciting on its own. Commercial vehicles can be perfect fits for electrification. With frequent stops, hybrid commercial vehicles can double or triple their...

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