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Quicc! Diva wins "Car of the Future"
DuraCar Quicc! Diva - Click above for high-res image gallery The Dutch website dedicated to electric and hybrid automobiles, ZERAuto, has been conducting a poll, asking its visitors to rank their favorite ride and offering 12 very nice entrants to choose from. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Netherlands-based DuraCar Quicc! Diva grabbed the top spot and now proudly sports the "Car of the Future" crown, even though it had competitors like the Tesla Roadster and the Pininfarina B0 BlueCar. Putting aside possible nationalistic motivations, it ... Read more →
Is XP Vehicles' inflatable car just a lot of hot air? Domenick Yoney
It's has been a while since we heard any news about the inflatable car from XP Vehicles but it seems they are still out there and still planning to take the auto industry by storm. Freshly featured ...
VIDEO: Jaguar extols the glory of aluminum Jeremy Korzeniewski
2010 Jaguar XJ - Click above to view the video after the jump Jaguar has long been a proponent of aluminum construction for automobiles. In fact, the current-generation XJ uses an ...
Electric airplane to debut at Oshkosh [w/VIDEO] Domenick Yoney
Yuneec E430 electric airplane - Click above for high-res image gallery It isn't the first electric airplane we've seen, nor is it the fastest. It's not even the first one to be shown at the annual ...
REPORT: Citroen seriously considering C-production C-Cactus Jeremy Korzeniewski
Citroen C-Cactus Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery Ever since the Citroen C-Cactus concept made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the fall of 2007, we've been hearing that ...
More lightweight news
Peapod meets the Governator, makes new friend [w/VDEO] 19 days ago on AutoblogGreen
It appears that the Peapod has emerged unscathed from the recent turmoil of Chrysler's brush with bankruptcy. In fact, the little neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) with the big friendly (or evil, depending on your point of view) smile is now riding about the 35 mph-or-lower streets of California, ...
Volkswagen SuperlightCar project reduces weight of Golf shell by 30-percent 23 days ago on AutoblogGreen
Volkswagen Up! - Click above for high-res image gallery We just learned about a project from Audi that resulted in an experimental lightweight S5 that was capable of lapping the famed Nürburgring racetrack in Germany eight seconds quicker than the normal S5, despite having a 100 horsepower ...
Audi working on hybrids, saving weight 25 days ago on AutoblogGreen
Audi Sportback Concept - Click above for a high-res image gallery It's easy to focus on the electrification of the automobile as the next big step towards reducing our fossil fuel consumption, but a lot has to happen before we're all driving electric vehicles. For instance, just as is the case ...
VIDEO: Loremo takes to the streets, with sound 28 days ago on AutoblogGreen
Loremo electric car - Click above to watch the video after the break It wasn't long ago that we first saw the first prototype from Germany startup automaker and Auto X-Prize hopeful Loremo move under its own power on video. That clip, though, left us a bit wanting, primarily because there was no ...
Flavio Deslandes - Building greener bicycles using bamboo 1 month ago on AutoblogGreen
Flavio Deslandes bamboo bicycles - Click above for an image gallery Bamboo is an excellent building material. As the fastest growing plant in the world, the long, thin, lightweight stalks of bamboo are useful for a variety of applications, apparently including bicycle frames. Flavio Costa ...
Audi: Q5 Hybrid coming "in the near future," affordable EVs years away 1 month ago on AutoblogGreen
Audi held its annual meeting in Neckarsulm, Germany last week and, as typically happens at such events, the boss got up to say a few words. In this case, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board Rupert Stadler spoke and gave the usual run down on the state of the business. He also discussed some ...
Foam car to enter Auto X-Prize competition 1 month ago on AutoblogGreen
According to Lon Ballard, designer of the Spira, a three-wheeled floating car made from foam (yes, foam), "The Spira team hopes foam will revolutionize autos and motorcycles like the Crocs and flip-flops have revolutionized shoes and sandals." Whether or not that's a good thing may depend not only ...
Fed-Ex adding small electric vehicles to Paris fleet 2 months ago on AutoblogGreen
It seems those Urban-Cabs we told you about last year aren't just handy for hauling tourists about "La Ville-Lumière." Apparently, once they are adorned with the famous FedEx logo, they transform into highly productive delivery machines. The global logistics giant has been testing two of the ...
The future of your car seat is foamless 2 months ago on AutoblogGreen
French seat manufacturer Faurecia has announced a new seat design that eliminates completely the use of polyurethane foam. The model, called Sustainable Comfort Seat, has two sheets of injection-molded thermoplastic polyurethane instead of classic foam. The new process not only saves weight, it's 17 ...
Lotus announces new, cleaner and more efficient Elise and Exige 2 months ago on AutoblogGreen
2010 Lotus Exige S - Click above for a high-res gallery Earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, Lotus released the newest version of the lightweight Exige S. At the time, the UK-based automaker highlighted the fact that the new model was both faster and more fuel efficient than its ...
Mazda plans to boost fuel efficiency 30 percent, add hybrids and EVs by 2015 2 months ago on AutoblogGreen
In a mild role-reversal of sorts, Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi has said that his company will in fact venture into electric vehicles and hybrids, but not until 2015. In the meantime, the Japanese automaker will focus on incremental improvements in the efficiency of gasoline and diesel engines and ...
Ford plans to increase efficiency by dramatically reducing weight 2 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Ford Fiesta in NYC – Click above for high-res image gallery While we often seem to focus our eco-friendly microscope on the advancement of alternative powertrains and biofuels, it's important to remember that there are lots of ways to improve the overall efficiency of an automobile. One ...
Holden to shrink next-gen Commodore but keep rear drive 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
When the current generation of General Motors' Zeta platform was conceived and developed by the company's Holden division in Australia, we lived in a very different world when it came to life. Gas was still cheap, and GM was planning to revive a range of rear wheel drive performance cars for ...
Pics aplenty from Tata Nano's commercial launch 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click above for the hi-res gallery Last week's commercial launch of the Nano was a huge event with significant ramifications, not only for the proud parent Tata, but for all of India and possibly the world. Although we weren't on hand to witness the historical event, our good buddy Shrawan Raja ...
Mazda to focus on more efficient engines and weight reductions before hybrids 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
The "zoom-zoom" brand is, as always, just a little bit different from everyone else. While most of its Japanese competitors are focused on building hybrids or shifting to plug-ins of various types, Mazda is taking what it hopes will be a more cost effective approach: losing weight and going diesel. ...
BMW Project i fleshed out? 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
BMW has been making a big deal of its Project I, the aim of which is to launch a new series of fuel-sipping vehicles. We heard about a vehicle called the Megacity the other day, and that's reportedly going to be offered with a hybrid drivetrain. According to Autobild (via 4 Wheels News), there's ...
Europe's 15 lightest cars 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
One of the keys to saving fuel is being light. However, the latest technologies in safety and the array of power accessories we all have in our cars all add weight to our cars, hurting fuel economy while they make driving more comfortable and save lives. Of course, technology has helped us recover ...
VIDEO: Fuel-sipping flying car flies! 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click above and scroll down to watch the video It may have been a few months behind schedule but the Terrafugia Transition® has officially taken to the skies and, perhaps more importantly, safely landed. In the competent hands of retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Phil Meteer, the roadable ...
BMW and Fiat working together for new Isetta and Topolino revivals? 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
We've been hearing rumblings that BMW and Fiat were working together on the development of new small vehicle platforms for a while now. With the German automaker working on an Isetta revival and the Italian firm moving forward with a new Topolino, it makes sense that the two companies would join ...
Next gen Audi A4/A5 to go on a major diet and get smaller engines 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
The cars built off of Audi's "B8" platform, including the A4 sedan, A5 coupe and their derivatives, have much to recommend them. Light weight is not among those characteristics. The lowest mass four cylinder front wheel drive A4 sedan weighs in at nearly 3,600 pounds and the V8-powered AWD S5 runs ...
Bentleys to lose weight, possibly add diesel and PHEV to flex-fuel 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports As Bentley works on the next generation of its "mainstream" Continental models in the next few years, new powertrains and weight reduction will be part of the program. At the Geneva Motor Show last week, CEO ...
Tazzari Zero to be distributed in North America by Verdek 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click above for a high-res gallery We've only been watching the development of the Tazzari Zero electric city car since last October, but the fast-moving company has not only announced a December 2009 launch date but has also named a North American distributor. Verdek, headed by former president ...
Morgan pushing forward with LifeCar design, now a serial hybrid with ultracapacitors 3 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Morgan LifeCar One of last year's most interesting vehicles that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show was the Morgan LifeCar concept. Using a hydrogen fuel cell that sent a constant flow of electrons to a set of electric motors, this machine represented a ...
Design and engineering complete on Gordon Murray's T25 city car 4 months ago on AutoblogGreen
According to a report on Autocar, Gordon Murray has received interest from over a dozen international companies that are interested in setting up franchises to sell the innovative T25 city car. Interestingly, very few of the interested parties are actual established automakers. That's a good thing ...
Geneva Preview: Bentley Continental Supersports, 621 hp ethanol beast 4 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Bentley Continental Supersports In spite of being part of the Volkswagen Group, Bentley has opted to not go the diesel route in its efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Instead, the Continental Supersports becomes the most powerful Bentley ever ...
KTM may introduce new green vehicle in Geneva 4 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click above for a gallery of the KTM X-Bow KTM made major headlines when it first announced it was entering the four-wheeled market back in 2007 with the X-Bow roadster. Since then, the Austrian manufacturer, more commonly associated with race-ready two-wheeled machinery, has announced its ...
Gordon Murray's new T.25 illustrated with slew of little toys 4 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click above for a gallery of pint-sized T.25 toys According to Gordon Murray, the upcoming city car that his design firm has been working on will be half the size of an average car while maintaining at least a 4-star safety rating in Euro NCAP testing. How small is that? Two T.25's will fit in a ...
High Performance, Higher Education: Ferrari estalishes lightweight research lab at Italian university 4 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Ferrari technical training center pictured above for illustrative purposes If there's one thing on which treehuggers and tire-smokers can agree on, it's the need to reduce weight in vehicles. It hurts performance and it hurts fuel efficiency. Few know that as well as Ferrari, which has just ...
Mazda to further refine Wankel rotary engine for more efficiency? 4 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Mazda's Wankel rotary engine has always been unique in the automotive landscape as a mass-produced internal combustion engine that eschews such unsightly items as pistons, valves and camshafts. The Wankel packs lots of power into a very small package, but one thing it's never been is fuel ...
Proterra touring California with fast-charging electric bus 4 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Proterra has begun a 4-city "California Clean Bus Tour" with the unveiling of its EcoRide B35 all-electric transit bus in San Jose. The lightweight, composite-bodied people mover features the 10 minute recharge-capable TerraVolt™ Energy Storage System, said to be based around batteries from ...
GM racing manager proud to be building a greener Corvette 4 months ago on AutoblogGreen
Click the GT1 Corvette C6R for a high res gallery from the 2008 Detroit Sports Car Challenge Last year, at the same press conference where American Le Mans Series CEO Scott Atherton announced the Green Challenge, Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper announced that the C6R Corvettes would be ...
