December 2010
Year in Review: The Most Important Green-Car Stories of 2010
By Scott Doggett December 31, 2010In a year packed with big green-car news, there's littte doubt that the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt were the most important stories of 2010 - the first electric-drive models launched by mainstream automakers. Yes, Toyota's Prius was and remains a significant alternative vehicle. But the Leaf battery-electric five-door hatchback (left) and the Volt plug-in hybrid sedan (right) go far beyond conventional hybrid technology and brought us one giant step closer to an automotive world in which battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles will play a significant role. That is a world in which the global more
Year in Review: What Our Readers Found Most Interesting
By John O'Dell December 30, 2010It's been a busy year on the green-car front, and we don't expect things to slow down any as we roll into 2011. But it's still 2010 and hoary tradition calls on us to take a look back before we start peering forward. Ah, but where to start? This has been a year marked by the launches of both the Nissan Leaf battery-electric car (above) and the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in (right); by an EV maker - Tesla Motors - becoming the first new U.S. car company in 50 years to successfully launch public stock sales; by unprecedented government-private more
Scientists Convert Solar Energy to Hydrogen
By Scott Doggett December 30, 2010As Green Car Advisor prepares to bid adieu to 2010, we feel it's only appropriate to highlight a scientific development that would give any alt-fuel vehicle fan a bit of optimism when looking toward 2011 and beyond - the ability to easily and inexpensively convert solar energy to hydrogen. As reported by Science and translated into relatively simple English by Wired, scientists have come up with a device that uses sun rays to essentially split water in order to release oxygen and hydrogen. In a nutshell, the device uses a lens-like device to intensely magnify sun rays into a more
Lexus CT 200h: An Appealing Premium Hatchback That Just Happens to be a Hybrid
By Scott Doggett December 30, 2010Editor's Note: Toyota has always said it wanted to offer as many hybrids in its lineup as the market would accept, and that means not only hybridizing existing models but introducing a new one every now and then. The latest, and newest, is the Lexus CT 200h, a hatchback Lexus aimed at a younger driver than that brand generally attracts. Edmunds.com Automotive Content Editor Warren Clarke recently made the arduous journey to Florida to review the new gas-electric Lexus and prepared a special version of his report for Green Car Advisor, looking at similarities - and differences - to the more
U.S. Navy Is Among First Customers to Take Delivery of GM FCEV
By Scott Doggett December 30, 2010The U.S. Navy is among the first customers to take delivery of a General Motors fuel-cell electric vehicle as part of the Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative, which aims to integrate hydrogen as an essential building block for a sustainable energy ecosystem in the Aloha State. GM and 11 partner companies, agencies and universities announced a commitment on Dec. 8 to make hydrogen-powered vehicles and a fueling infrastructure a reality in Hawaii by 2015. The H2I goal is to install up to 25 hydrogen stations in strategic locations around Oahu, putting the fuel within reach of all 1 million residents. Above, more
GreenBriefs: Beefy Prius, $257k Cay Hy?, Eaton to Tata, FCE Buses
By Scott Doggett December 29, 2010Toyota will unveil a new, beefier version of its hybrid-electric Prius when exhibits its so-called "Prius Family" of vehicles at the North American Auto Show in Detroit next month. While the automaker hasn't disclosed details of the larger vehicle - Toyota has only said it would display both a conventional and plug-in hybrid-electric Prius in Detroit - the company last week released a "teaser" video and posted billboards showing a five-door version of the car (the blue vehicle behind the current Prius) that's pitched to have 50% more cargo room. Toyota officials didn't immediately respond to a request for more
2010 Trends: Higher Sales, Lower Incentives, More Recalls, Lofty Used-Car Prices, Additional Technology
By Michelle Krebs December 29, 2010The year 2010 may well be remembered as the year-after -- the year after the worst year for the economy, the worst year of auto sales in the U.S. in recent memory and the year after two of the three U.S. automakers filed -- and emerged from -- bankruptcy. Though vehicle sales in 2010 will still be the second worst since 1982 coming in at about 11.5 million, the year saw the slightest start of a recovery. The trajectory is upward with December sales likely will be the highest of the year and the highest since the Cash for more
2010: Top 15 Industry Newsmakers of the Year
By Dale Buss December 29, 2010Industry leaders good at casting visions and those who excel at cleaning up dominated the news in 2010. As the U.S. auto market chugged definitively out of the Great Recession, visionaries such as Volkswagen's Martin Winterkorn and Fiat's Sergio Marchionne helped prove that robust plans, and personalities to match, can still drive the industry. Just as important for 2010, however, were newsmakers who fulfilled niche but crucial roles in pulling the industry out of one of the toughest markets in history, such as General Motors' Dan Akerson and Steven Rattner, the former federal auto czar. Here's our list of more
Ports Spend $425,000 on Vision Motor Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Trucks
By Scott Doggett December 28, 2010The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will spend a combined $425,000 to help fund a $1 million demonstration project involving hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks made by El Segundo, Calif.-based Vision Motor Corp. as the nation's two largest ports look for ways to cut greenhouse-gas emissions in one of the country-s most polluted regions. The two ports will bring in one fuel-cell heavy-duty truck and one fuel-cell yard tractor in either April or May, according to Phillip Sanfield, a spokesman with the Port of Los Angeles. The short-haul truck will be operated by trucking firm Total Transportation more
2010: Reader Favorites Represent Roads Less Traveled
By Michelle Krebs December 31, 2010Readers of Edmunds AutoObserver.com are a sophisticated lot. They clearly want stories that are beyond the headlines of national and global media, as evidenced by their favorite stories for 2010, listed here: more