Autoblog

Next-gen Nissan Altima Hybrid to feature supercharged 2.5L engine, advanced CVT, li-ion battery

Autoblog Staff — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:02:00 EST

The next-generation Nissan Altima mid-size sedan will be the first Nissan vehicle equipped with the automaker's first-ever, in-house developed, front-wheel-drive hybrid system. The hybrid setup, due in 2013, will be replace the Toyota-based system, which Nissan used in the now-axed Altima Hybrid, according to Masayuki Yasuoka, a senior exec in Nissan's next-generation powertrain group.

Nissan's upcoming gas-electric setup will be loosely based on the hybrid system found in the rear-wheel-drive 2012 Infiniti M35h, meaning it will feature a two-clutch, single-motor, lithium-ion battery setup. But instead of the 3.5-liter V6 engine that powers the M35h, the Altima Hybrid will likely pack a surpercharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder powerplant, mated to a new, advanced Xtronic continously variable transmission.

All this intel was reportedly revealed during a recent test drive at Nissan's Oppama proving grounds in Japan. Yasuoka declined to comment on which Nissan model would get the in-house developed hybrid system, but the Altima seems the most likely candidate.

Next-gen Nissan Altima Hybrid to feature supercharged 2.5L engine, advanced CVT, li-ion battery originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Production Toyota Prius Plug-in to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Hatchback, Toyota

Lots of people have been waiting for this news: The production version of the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid will make its world debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September.

Toyota says the Prius Plug-in is the next "major milestone" in the automaker's 40-year quest for sustainable mobility (so, what's the RAV4 EV, then?). The plug-in hybrid sedan features a newly designed, compact lithium-ion battery that enables the pluggy Prius to achieve a remarkably low fuel consumption rating of 2.2 liters per 100 kilometers (107 miles per gallon U.S.) and CO2 emissions of just 49 grams per kilometer.

While the Japanese automaker will continue to focus on hybrid vehicles without a plug, Toyota says the Plug-in Prius is its "flagship" that showcases the latest developments in hybrid-drive technology. It also says that the car's value and fuel-sipping abilities combine to make it the "ultimate eco car."

We'll bring you more details on the production version of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid when it takes the stage in Frankfurt.

Continue reading Production Toyota Prius Plug-in to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

Production Toyota Prius Plug-in to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Peugeot 508 RXH diesel hybrid to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Wagon, Crossover, Peugeot, Electric, Diesel

2012 Peugeot 508 RXH - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 Peugeot 508 RXH diesel-electric hybrid has been officially revealed ahead of its world debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Featuring all-wheel drive via Peugeot's HYbrid4 technology, the 508 RXH comes packing the automaker's 2.0-liter HDi diesel engine with a 28-kilowatt (38-horsepower) electric motor. This system, identical to the one found in Peugeot's 3008 Hybrid4, makes the 508 RXH a so-called "through-the-road" hybrid vehicle. Combined, the diesel-electric hybrid drive unit delivers up to 147 kW (200 horsepower) and cranks out 332 pound-feet of torque.

The 508 RXH can operate in electric-only mode, though Peugeot has not revealed the vehicle's "zero-emissions" range. The French automaker say the 508 RXH consumes less than 4.2 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (56 miles per gallon U.S.) in the combined cycle and emits 109 g/km of CO2.

The 508 RXH will go on sale in spring of 2012. Peugeot says it will extend its HYbrid4 technology to additional vehicles in the near future. Learn more in the official press release after the jump.

Continue reading 2012 Peugeot 508 RXH diesel hybrid to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

2012 Peugeot 508 RXH diesel hybrid to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Honda Civic Hybrid no match for aging Toyota Prius in sales

Autoblog Staff — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Earnings/Financials

2012 Honda Civic Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

Though its miles per gallon rating rings in at 44/44/44 (that's city/highway/combined), the all-new 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid is still no match at the pump for the third-generation, 51/48/50 mpg Toyota Prius that debuted as a 2010 model year vehicle. Sure, the 2012 Civic Hybrid is more fuel-efficient than its predecessor, but it doesn't trump the Prius, and that's a shame considering that the new Honda hybrid now packs a sophisticated lithium-ion battery pack and a reworked electric motor that's more powerful than the old unit.

So far, sales of the 2012 Civic Hybrid have been rather sluggish (Honda reports that sales hit 389 through the end of May). That's due in part to the vehicle's limited availability because of quake-related supply issues. However, with a sticker price that starts at $24,800, the 2012 Civic Hybrid is $1,920 more than a base Prius, which begs the question: can Honda's costlier hybrid - one that's not even as fuel efficient as the Toyota - actually compete?

2012 Honda Civic Hybrid no match for aging Toyota Prius in sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: 20% of all vehicles sold in U.S. to be hybrids by 2020 [w/POLL]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Hybrid, Green

What percentage of new vehicles in the U.S. will be hybrid in the year 2020? Take our poll after the jump!

According to a recent study conducted by JPMorgan, hybrid sales are about to take off. Last year, there were some 480,000 total hybrid vehicles sold around the world, which represents less than 1% of global sales. By 2020, though, JPMorgan predicts that 11.28 million hybrids will be sold annually, representing over 13% of all vehicles sold.

Much of that increase in sales will be attributed to the United States, as the report suggests that hybrids will capture nearly 20% of total market share in this country. The study suggests that the increase in hybrid vehicle sales will be influenced by such factors such as increased pressure from government agencies to reduce fuel consumption and overall vehicle emissions, as well as a drastic reduction in the cost of hybrid technology.

Of course, it stands to reason that hybrid-producing automakers will benefit from this uptick in hybrid vehicle sales, but JPMorgan's study may also portend good things for the ailing supplier industry, which produces the majority of the hybrid drivetrain components used by major automakers all around the world.

What percentage of new U.S. vehicle sales do you think hybrids will represent in 2020? Take our poll after the jump!

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

Continue reading Study: 20% of all vehicles sold in U.S. to be hybrids by 2020 [w/POLL]

Study: 20% of all vehicles sold in U.S. to be hybrids by 2020 [w/POLL] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 May 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hybrid sales slide 9.9% in 2008

Dan Roth — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:37:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM, GMC, Honda, Nissan, Toyota

Despite all the clamor about how hybrids are going to save the planet, cure cancer, facilitate the second coming, etc., sales of battery-pack-mobiles are down nearly ten percent for 2008. At the beginning of 2008, it looked like hybrids were going to have their best year ever, driven by high fuel prices and a recessive economy. That recession, however,has caused consumers to cut way back, leading to dramatic drop in fuel prices, killing much of the argument for a hybrid's price premium. Consumers shy away from hybrids when fuel dips below $3.50 per gallon, and the incessant clang of news stories about expensive fuel also dries up, causing the issue of fuel efficiency to fall from consciousness.

Toyota is still the hybrid sales king, with 241,000 units shifted in 2008. Honda managed to ring up 31,000 sales, and Ford came in third with nearly 20,000 vehicles sold. While nearly every automaker offering hybrids is down (Nissan actually saw a 5 percent increase, and General Motors garnered a whopping 179 percent jump thanks to its 2008 introductions), Ford was hardest hit, with a 22 percent drop. Some might say "we told you so" about the way things have played out - by the time everyone got on board with more efficient offerings, the bottom has fallen out of the price of fuel - and others might use the sales figures to agitate for a gas tax to stimulate the purchase of fuel efficient vehicles.

[Source: Auto News - sub req]

Hybrid sales slide 9.9% in 2008 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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