Lexus Confirms HS 250h to be Unveiled in Detroit

Last year Toyota confirmed that a Lexus branded dedicated hybrid model would make its debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Lexus has now confirmed that the new dedicated hybrid will be dubbed the HS250h.

The details are scarce about the new model although it is expected that the new Lexus hybrid will share some of, if not all of its mechanicals with the also new 2010 Toyota Prius. If the HS 250h in fact does use the same hybrid powertrain as the new Prius it will be the next-generation Hybrid Synergy with nickel-metal hydride battery packs. Unfortunately lithium-ion packs are still in development and will be added at a later date.

Stay tuned for all the details from the show next month.

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VIDEO: 2011 Chevy Volt Live Unveiling and Behind the Scenes Videos

GM officially unveiled the 2011 Chevy Volt today during its 100-year celebration. Here are a bunch of videos for your enjoyment.

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The 2009 Ford Escape and Ford Escape Hybrid: Manlier Than The Prius, But Still Kind Of A Chick-Ride

For 2009, Ford has given the Escape, its sub-compact SUV, an eco-friendly overhaul [and has also provided some fairly comical marketing photos of the Escape as this rugged, off-road vehicle].

The conventional 2009 Escape models will be fully integrated with FFV [Flexible Fuel Vehicle] technology, allowing them to be powered by E85 ethanol fuel. Getting a power boost all across the board, both the Escape Hybrid and the base-trim Escape receive 2.5L, 4-cylinder in-line engines to replace their previous 2.3L I4’s, equaling an overall boost in horsepower from 153-hp to 171-hp. 

The upgrade in power can be directly attributed to the new intake variable cam timing found in the 2.5L engines, a feature which makes the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid the first Atkinson cycle hybrid with variable-valve timing [a fact really only fully appreciated by the guys who read Popular Mechanics]. Not to be left out, a bigger 3.5L V6 engine, higher compression ratio and a new fuel-injection system provide a 30-hp power pump for the 2009 Ford Escape Limited, netting a total 230-hp over previous years’ 200-hp. Despite the performance modifications, Easy Fuel cap-less fueling technology as well as roll-resistant Michelin tires claim to increase EPA fuel efficiency on conventional Escape’s by 1mpg.

Bottom line: with Ford playing such an aggressive game of catch-up, it almost doesn’t seem fair for us to continue picking on the Toyota Prius. Almost.

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
Base Price	$29,305 - $31,055
Vehicle Layout	Front gasoline/hybrid engine, FWD/4WD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV
Engines	2.5L/171-hp/ I4 Atkinson Cycle Engine and Electric Motor; 2.5L/171-hp/I4; 3.5L/230hp/ V6
Electric Motor [Hybrid Only]	Permanent Magnet AC synchronous motor/330V NiMH/94-hp[70 kW]
Transmissions	Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable; 5-sp manual; 6-sp automatic
Curb Weight	3792 lbs
Wheelbase	103.1 in
Length x Width x Height	174.7 in x 71.1 in x 70.2
Ground Clearance	8.6 in
EPA city/hwy Fuel Econ.	34/30 mpg [ECCV FWD]; 29/27 [ECCV 4WD]; 22/28 mpg [Manual FWD]; 18-20/24-26 mpg [Automatic FWD]; 17-19/22-24 mpg [Automatic 4WD]

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2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid

After almost 12 months on the car show circuit, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid is finally ready to show itself on the showroom floor. By combining a 275 horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 gasoline engine and a 20 horsepower electric motor, it is more of a mid-hybrid, but it will definitely still save you in the gas department.

2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid

2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid

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The Plug-In Hybrid GEM car: If You Run, You’ll Only Go To Jail With Tire Marks

Meet Jake’s newest ride, the GEM car: a battery-powered, electric hybrid vehicle produced by Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), a division of the Chrysler Corporation. Although they provide roughly the same horsepower as a Pinto, GEM cars produce zero emissions and run entirely on electricity. Equipped with a 72-volt battery system, the GEM cars are chargeable via a standard 110-volt outlet that reportedly can get up to 30 miles off of one 6-hour charge. 

Technically classified as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV),  GEM cars max out at 25 mph and allow police officers to appear as intimidating as a Razor Scooter street gang.

Growing in popularity for their low-maintenance efficiency, GEM cars are favored by police departments in areas where vehicle inaccessibility causes a heavy dependence on foot and bicycle patrol officers. The Myrtle Beach Police Department currently uses GEM cars in their Special Operations Section, a unit responsible for patrolling Myrtle Beach’s most high-traffic area – the waterfront. According to the MBPD, the GEM cars have allowed beachfront officers to respond faster to emergencies than they could have otherwise, thereby increasing efficiency tenfold.

Headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, GEM has been quietly producing their clean little cars stateside for a decade, and now they’re branching out. According to the UK’s Daily Mail, the Sussex Police Department is currently testing the GEM under consideration of adding them to their fleet.

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Guys who drive ‘Green Cars’ get all the girls

According to a recent study nearly 9 in 10 women (88 percent) say they’d rather chat up someone who owns the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car. So let’s just say that Guy who drive ‘Green’ get all the girls.

This just goes to prove ‘Green’ is a more valuable social commodity than the other green. If you get my drift.

Other interesting news included this:
Eighty percent of American car buyers would find someone with the latest fuel-efficient car more interesting to talk to at a party than someone with the latest sports car.

Source: Yahoo

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