Electric Car Blogging

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, BMW

We’ve heard consistent rumors since last year that BMW was considering entering the tiny car market with a new electric car. This entire time, BMW was to decide on the fate of the city EV by the end of the year, and it seems that they have. BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer has confirmed that the Bavarian automaker will indeed go smaller, though we are not so sure it will wear the blue and white badge. Rather, the new vehicle could wear the Isetta badge made popular on microcars from the past. “It’ll be a car with a completely new look, with two engines available. One will be a very efficient combustion engine and the other will be a purely electric model,” says Reithofer. Speculation is that the electric model will get over 200 miles per charge. We don’t know what internal combustion engine is slated for the Isetta, but BMW has plenty of experience with small and efficient engines from its Motorrad division. We like the way this is going.

[Source: Autocar]

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, China, Green, Chery

As it currently stands, gas in China costs about half what it does in most other countries, and the government spends billions to keep it that way. This being the case, expensive hybrids like the Toyota Prius don’t sell in very large numbers. Still, there are a number of analysts who predict that gas will go up in China and that cheaper hybrids could begin to get a foot-hold in the Chinese market. To test the hybrid waters, Chery has introduced its home market to a new inexpensive mild hybrid built off its own A5 platform. Like some of the hybrids from General Motors, the A5 adds a belt-driven starter/generator that runs on just 12 volts and allows for stop/start functionality for its 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. Chery tested the vehicle during the Olympic games and is apparently now ready to begin selling its first hybrid to retail customers in China at about a third of the cost of the Prius. With pricing like that, the expected 10-15-percent gain in fuel efficiency could provide plenty of incentive to choose a hybrid.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

A quick question for you: would you pay ,000 for 60+ mpg Ford Fiesta? Seems like a steal, no? But is it the right steal? Perhaps John McCain’s daughter should ask herself the question, since her Prius is causing problems in Michigan. Or maybe we should all be thinking about driving some classic pedal cars around. No one can hate on those, right?

• Spy Shots: 2010 Chevy Cruze spotted in the wild
• POLL: Would you be willing to pay ,000 for 60+ mpg Fiesta?
• McCain’s daughter’s Prius causing problems in Michigan
• Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid to launch in June 2009 in Europe
• New Honda City unveiled in Thailand - is this the look of the new Insight?
• RM to auction off classic pedal cars
• Peugeot shows new 908 HY diesel-hybrid Le Mans racer!
• Hummer still working the flex-fuel angle. Good luck with that
• POLL: Buy a more efficient car to save money or the environment?
• Fuel stretching Taylors 1/3 of the way around US, averaging 58.78 mpg
• Paris Preview: Venturi and Michelin to unveil electric vehicle collaboration
• New York Times looks at the Volt and GM’s centennial
• BMW CEO confirms city car with electric option
• Dodge Charger, Hemi engine get more efficient for ‘09

More headlines after the jump.

Continue reading AutoblogGreen for 09.15.08

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