4:33 AM
Chevrolet Volt, Electric Vehicles, Ford, Ford Fusion, Hybrids, Lexus, Lexus CT 200h, Lincoln, Toyota Prius, VW, VW Touareg
The Union of Concerned Scientist, a non-profit science advocacy group in the U.S., has released its second annual Hybrid Scorecard. The organisation criticised hybrid car manufacturers for not delivering on the technology�s promise, for placing performance above fuel efficiency and environmental benefit and burdening hybrids with features that put them out of the price range of average Americans. A total of 34 hybrid vehicles from the 2011 to 2012 model year were tested for their fuel efficiency, environmental impact, value-for-money and their so-called �forced-feature premium�. The latter is features that don�t improve fuel efficiency but probably make the cars more appealing to money-conscious consumers.
If you are a GM diehard or a Chevy Volt fanboy, I suggest you cover your ears and start humming loudly to yourselves. CNN Money recently featured an article from Fortune magazine�s Motorworld declaring the upcoming Toyota Prius Plug-in hybrid a better buy and a better car than Chevy�s range-extended electric vehicle. Shock, gasp, horror, blasphemy etc. To quote Motorworld senior editor Alex Taylor III: �[The Prius Plug-in is] more efficient and less expensive than the Volt, and Toyota actually stands the possibility of making a profit on it -- something General Motors concedes it can't do with the Volt.�
In spite of the earthquake and Tsunami that devastated Japan last March and which deeply affected the country�s automobile production capabilities, Toyota remains confident that US sales of the Prius will outperform those of 2010. The lack of inventory, with many dealers reporting as little as one day�s worth of Prius cars on their lots, led to a whopping 61% drop in July sales in the US, which is the lowest since 2004. And that�s significant because the US accounts for almost half of the all Prius models sold worldwide, which makes it Toyota�s most important market for its compact hybrid.
At last year�s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Toyota displayed a lightly modified version of the Prius Hybrid to inaugurate its new line of accessories under the PLUS moniker. 
Now it�s time for the Japanese automaker to release the production version of its modestly sported up Prius with the commercial launch of the PLUS Performance Package that will be available for order in July in limited numbers.The package features styling and performance upgrades, and is optionally available on all Prius models with pricing set at $3,699 for the Prius Two, Three, and Four trim levels and $2,999 for the Prius Five.
I can�t remember if there were self-driving cars in the third Terminator movie, though frankly I can�t remember anything other than that red leather and vinyl outfit Kristanna Loken was wearing. What were we talking about? Oh, yes, the robocarpocalypse. With the passing of Assembly Bill 511 in the Nevada Senate, the U.S. Department of Transport will now have to draw up rules governing autonomous vehicles on the state�s roads.
