RichC | January 13, 2024
The advertising from Tesla is working on me as the range and charging infrastructure continues to improve. Having driven and watched my son-in-law use his Tesla Model3 (mostly for daily commuting) since 2019 with impressive success, a Model3 might make a great second car … IF the price were lower or incentives better (perhaps a […]
Category: Automotive, Marketing, Mazda, Tesla |
No Comments »
Tags: advertising, cuv, ev, hybrid, mazda, model3, mx30, tesla
RichC | May 21, 2023
In all likelihood, one of the next vehicles in our garage will have some kind of electric motor and rechargeable battery pack (or maybe a traditional non-plugin hybrid?) I’m not convinced yet that we are ready for a full EV … at least for our primary car … but admire what Tesla is doing and […]
Category: Automotive, Mazda |
No Comments »
Tags: engine, ev, hybrid, mazda, motor authority, mx30, rotary, tesla, vehicles
RichC | September 24, 2018
Porsche announced Sunday that it would focus on hybrid and electric technology and will no longer make diesel-powered vehicles. The announcement comes five months after a senior manager at Porsche in Germany was arrested in connection with an investigation into diesel emissions rigging by Porsche’s parent company, Volkswagen. Just 12% of Porsche’s global sales came […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel |
No Comments »
Tags: automotive, cnn, diesel, ev, german, hybrid, porsche
RichC | August 16, 2016
Audi’s 2017 SQ7 diesel TDI takes a new spin on hybrid vehicles by incorporating an electric compressor in addition to the already impressive 2 compressors (turbochargers). I’m not sure at what point technology goes too far in adding complexity but improving performance, but this is one impressive TDI! (link and video illustration below) https://youtu.be/ALOV0Tcl-4k
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Video |
No Comments »
Tags: audi, diesel, hybrid, sq7, tdi, video
RichC | March 18, 2015
The future of transportation will likely include electric power even if automotive purist cringe at the thought of their beloved internal combustion engines losing ground. I’m as old school as the next car-lover, but can’t deny hybrid vehicles and EVs have come a long way in the past decade; the future will no doubt see […]
Category: Automotive, Video |
No Comments »
Tags: BH03, electric, ev, goodyear, hybrid, tires
RichC | July 14, 2014
As hinted a few times before, Volkswagen has now officially announced that it will be building the new “yet to be named” seven passenger CUV in Chattanooga, TN. The attractive American-sized crossover will help VW compete in the popular SUV/CUV market come 2016. Many VW enthusiasts (and potential new customers) with growing families have […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Hybrid, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: 2016, crossblue, cuv, diesel, hybrid, SUV, volkswagen
RichC | May 18, 2014
The last year or so I’ve been renting Ford Focuses (or Foci?) when I’m traveling out of town or trying to keep the miles off my Honda Pilot which is nearing 200,000 miles. Often the fuel economy (high 35+ vs 20mpg) offsets the rental cost, but this time for the fun of it I wanted […]
Category: Automotive, Technology |
No Comments »
Tags: hybrid, hyundai, rental cars, sonata
RichC | March 21, 2013
The Swedish automaker Volvo will be showing their new plug-in V60 diesel hybrid at the New York auto show later this month according to reports in the automotive press. This new information may hint that Volvo is considering bringing their pricey new hybrid to the U.S. after all; initially reports suggested it would only be […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Hybrid |
No Comments »
Tags: diesel, ev, hybrid, volvo
RichC | March 13, 2013
The Volkswagen XL1 sure would be a different kind of car to own and would make stopping for fuel every 700 miles almost a pleasurable even. You could even spurge for “full service” and walk away with change from your ten dollar bill! (click for Autoblog “First Drive story) “The liquid fuel tank of the […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Hybrid, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: concept, diesel, hybrid, volkswagen, vw
RichC | March 1, 2013
An automotive enthusiast friend of mine, Wayne Gerdes, is a noted “hypermiler” and posted a well documented write-up comparing three of the top selling hybrid cars for a CleanMPG report. His efficiently conclusion is about what my gut would have told me when looking at the car profiles in his photo above … Toyota Prius […]
Category: Automotive, Hybrid |
1 Comment »
Tags: c-max, ford, hybrid, prius, toyota
RichC | February 26, 2013
Not that the Volkswagen UP! is the sleekest looking VW model (image to right), but it may be the model getting the highly efficient 261mpg XL1 diesel-electric hybrid powertrain. According to Autocar.co.uk, the UP! minicar might be the 2-cylinder diesel and electric minicar produced en masse. I know VW enthusiasts would love to see the […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Hybrid, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: diesel, electric, hybrid, up!, volkswagen, vw, xl1
RichC | January 23, 2013
Volkswagen is showing off a new DSG all wheel drive Diesel Hybrid this year at the 2013 auto shows and getting a fair amount of praise and criticism — it is hard to make everybody happy. Some chastise the hybrid concept and others the unglamorous styling. Others see it as the SUV that they’ve been […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Volkswagen |
2 Comments »
Tags: crossblue, diesel, hybrid, SUV, volkswagen, vw
RichC | January 14, 2013
Tell me this is not worth looking at? Mmm, mmm, mmm. The VW CrossBlue concept is Volkswagen’s midsize SUV that is larger than a Tiguan and not as off-road performance oriented as the larger Touareg. The CrossBlue concept has six-seats in three rows and could seat up to seven if they offer an optional bench […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Volkswagen |
2 Comments »
Tags: concept, crossblue, diesel, hybrid, tdi, volkswagen, vw
RichC | December 24, 2012
After catching up on a bit of automotive reading, I realized that improvements propulsion for cars is moving us toward hybrid vehicles and that there will come a day when “almost” all our day to day vehicles will have some sort of hybrid drive … be they battery electric or some other booster technology. Mentioning […]
Category: Automotive, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: cars, hybrid, prius, synergy, tdi, toyota, volkswagen
RichC | February 19, 2012
There must be a reason automakers are not pairing hybrids or plug-in electric vehicles with diesel engines … for the life of me I can’t figure it out. The coupling on paper seems to be a perfect combination … especially for a company like e GM with the “Volt” type of EV/Hybrid technology. Volkswagen will […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: diesel, ev, hybrid, tdi, volkswagen, Volt
RichC | February 14, 2012
For years automotive postulaters have envisioned a car being charged by embedded coils in the highway, but a comment in an article attributed to one researcher at Stanford sounds a little far fetched … maybe even stretching the laws of physics? Stanford researchers say they can develop what’s essentially an electric highway that one of […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Technology |
No Comments »
Tags: diesel, ev, future, hybrid, stanford, volvo
RichC | January 17, 2012
I saw the key photo above as a tease in a recent article highlighting the 10 cheapest new cars you can buy and was disappointed as other VW owners/shoppers might be – yes the key is a VW key and fob, but the list (below) doesn’t contain a Volkswagen. The 10 cheapest new cars […]
Category: Automotive, Mazda |
5 Comments »
Tags: hybrid, hyundai, volkswagen, vw
RichC | November 12, 2011
After reading a recent article in the WSJ discussing the tens of thousands of high paying energy sector and supporting jobs that would be immediately available if the Keystone XL pipeline project would be approved, its clear that politics are more important to President Obama that U.S. jobs. He must have decided that the votes […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Energy, Video-TV, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: audi, diesel, ev, hybrid, pipeline, taxes, vw, wsj
RichC | October 12, 2011
Surprise! This is something to keep in mind when it comes to replacing the “starter battery” in a hybrid car … not the one to power the electric motors, but the smaller one to start the gasoline engine. As I recall, most gasoline and diesel only car starter batteries are significantly less than $530. This […]
Category: Automotive |
2 Comments »
Tags: battery, hybrid
RichC | August 24, 2011
What is it going to take to make VW the “new people’s car?” With a larger size and lower price, the American built Passat could give domestics and the favored Toyota Camry a run for its money. While the current fuel saving hybrid is not in VW’s powertrain, the interstate frugal TDI diesel is sure […]
Category: Automotive, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: camry, diesel, hybrid, passat, tdi, toyota, vw
RichC | July 3, 2011
Siemens, along with Diamond Aircraft and EADS, unveiled the two-seat airplane called the DA36 E-Star, at the 2011 Paris Air Show. The series hybrid propulsion cuts fuel consumption and emissions by 25 percent, compared to today’s most fuel-efficient airplane propulsion systems according to Siemens. E-Star’s propeller is turned by a 70 kW electric motor and […]
Category: Aviation |
No Comments »
Tags: aviation EADS, diamond aircraft, hybrid, siemens
RichC | June 17, 2011
Volkswagen’s CEO Martin Winterkorn (Germany) is committed to plug in hybrids according to a translation posted: I am firmly convinced that plug-in hybrids are the right solution for the next ten years. You can drive 50 to 60 kilometers all-electric and have the full flexibility of an internal combustion engine. The plug-in hybrid will be […]
Category: Automotive, Misc, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: hybrid, plug-in, volkswagen, vw
RichC | June 15, 2011
Not a bad week for Audi; they continue to dominate with diesel powered Le Mans racing TDIs and show of the tweaking o their diesel-hybrid technology in the e-Tron Spyder plug-in diesel as well. From my perspective the supercar styling isn’t half bad either. It was a big weekend for Audi, which debuted a new […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel |
3 Comments »
Tags: audi, diesel, hybrid, le mans, plug-in
RichC | May 26, 2011
With the recent overseas photos of a TDI (Volkswagen) with the “hybrid” badge, the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 and indications that Mercedes is planning a 2012 E300 Bluetec diesel hybrid … then I’m getting pretty excited. As someone sure to take a bit of heat from my diesel and biodiesel oriented friends, I’m still going […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel, Mercedes, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: diesel, hybrid, mercedes, peugeot, volkswagen, vw
RichC | March 11, 2011
Truth be told, I could see myself driving the 2012 Toyota Prius v (Versatility) … but don’t tell any of my Volkswagen TDI diesel friends! 42 MPG City, 38 MPG Highway, 40 MPG Combined Second row seats slide, fold flat, and recline 45 degrees for comfort 34.3 cubic feet of cargo volume First-ever resin […]
Category: Automotive |
1 Comment »
Tags: hybrid, prius, toyota
RichC | January 29, 2011
The L1 concept Volkswagen has been toying around with for the past couple of years is finally inching towards limited production (100 to be built). The car has grown into a side-by-side two seater and is known as the XL1 diesel plug-in hybrid has an aero design to reduce drag and increase gas mileage. It […]
Category: Automotive, Diesel |
2 Comments »
Tags: concept, diesel, hybrid, volkswagen, xl1
RichC | September 15, 2010
Earlier this month, the folks at TFLcar ran a non-scientific test where they compared three different fueling options in three different cars. All three vehicles are known to offer good fuel economy … but only one is fun to drive. 🙂 Unfortunately, the test doesn’t offer any high degree of accuracy due to the small […]
Category: Automotive, Biodiesel, Diesel, Volkswagen |
2 Comments »
Tags: diesel, fiesta, ford, golf, hybrid, prius, tdi, toyota, vw
RichC | May 28, 2010
Read an article about the 2010 Ford Fusion winning the honors of being the Edmonds.com Consumers’ Top Rated award (as well as Motortrend Car of the Year) and had to chuckle noticing the dash storage compartment. Perhaps it’s just my lame sense of humor … anyway the items in the dash storage box did make […]
Category: Automotive, Photos |
No Comments »
Tags: automotive, ford, hybrid, photoshopped
RichC | December 2, 2009
Volkswagen continues to entice those appreciating ‘green’ diesel vehicles with their UpLite concept at the LA Auto Show. The new design is said to use diesel electric combination to achieve 70mpg, while still offering a degree of comfort and styling. From the photos posted on Autoblog.com, the new VW also looks to be offering function […]
Category: Automotive, Biodiesel, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: diesel, hybrid, volkswagen, vw
RichC | August 21, 2009
A 2009 Intellichoice survey compared the cost of ownership beyond the sticker price by factoring in depreciation, financing, fuel, Insurance, maintenance, repairs and state fees. By doing this, consumers should have a better idea of what a vehicle’s long-term ownership costs might be and better be able to decide which vehicle is a better overall […]
Category: Automotive, Biodiesel, BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen |
No Comments »
Tags: diesel, hybrid, tdi, volkswagen
RichC | February 3, 2009
Volkswagen, a leader in clean alternative fuel technology, will be launching four new BlueMotion vehicles. Two of them will be super clean diesels, the Passat BlueMotion, Passat Blue TDI, one running on compressed natural gass — the Passat TSI EcoFuel, and the headliner a Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid. The Touareg with be be VW’s first […]
Category: Automotive |
1 Comment »
Tags: bluemotion, diesel, hybrid, passat, tdi, touareg, volkswagen, vw
RichC | January 30, 2009
There are a few changes are coming for the hybrid car buying few … and I mean car buying few … unless Washington DC pulls a few last minute strings. Tax credits are being reduced by about half, so … if you are thinking about buying a new hybrid car this year, it might be […]
Category: Automotive |
No Comments »
Tags: credit, ford, hybrid, tax
RichC | January 15, 2009
So which automotive technology is in our near future? According to an article in Wednesday’s Marketplace section of the WSJ, “Analysts say sales of vehicles with such engines — which deliver greater fuel economy and power than today’s similarly sized gas engines — will far exceed those of hybrids and electrics for years to come.” […]
Category: Automotive |
No Comments »
Tags: direct injection, ev, hybrid, tdi, wsj
RichC | January 7, 2009
The 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid “won the hearts of the Car and Driver folks,” according to AutoblogGreen. The best of class midsize car bettered even Toyota in the top fuel economy and still performed well when talking performance. The Ford Fusion hybrid goes on sale this spring and is being marketed as “America’s most fuel […]
Category: Automotive |
No Comments »
Tags: battery, car and driver, ford, fusion, hybrid