Sam Abuelsamid - Autoblog

Toyota FCHV-adv – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mitsubishi i-MiEV – Click above for high-res image gallery

2011 Ford Fiesta offset barrier crash test – Click above for high-res image gallery

For the past several years, the answer to the question of whether producing ethanol from corn is a net energy benefit or loss has depended on who you asked. An assortment of studies have come down on both sides of the equation. Michigan State University professor Jake Ferris comes down firmly on the net benefit side in an op-ed published by the Lansing State Journal.

Allan McNish in Audi R15+ – Click above for high-res image gallery

The New York Times is reporting that Daimler has decided to proceed with production of a fleet of 500 Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell vehicles early in 2011. Like the Smart ED, the battery packs and power electronics

After announcing the completion of a three-month field test of its battery swapping system, Better Place has decided to keep the program running until at least late November. Three converted Nissan Rogues have been operating as taxis in central Tokyo, stopping by the Bett

Shaun Stenshol and a Bio-Beetle – Click above for high-res image gallery

Given that the traditional four-stroke Otto-cycle engine piston engine only has a thermal efficiency of 25-30 percent, there is clearly still plenty of room for improvement. While most of the green automobile attention in recent years has been focused on electrification, liquid fuels still have about 100 times the energy density of today's best lithium-ion batteries, a difference that probably won't change significantly any time in the near future.

Back when a greenhouse was a structure used to grow plants in cold weather, an oil pump was just a non-descript but necessary device to keep metal engine parts well lubricated. As engineers work to meet the 35.5 mile per gallon Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard, the lowly oil pump has become one of many places where they can find incremental improvements in efficiency.

The idea of a carbon tax has been floated for over a decade now as a way to more accurately represent the true environmental cost of energy. Many automakers have advocated switching from the current tax on each gallon of gasoline and diesel to a carbon-based tax on all energy sources as a way to help incentivize consumers to buy the cleaner, more efficient vehicles that automakers will be

Honda Fit hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

2011 Mazda2 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Jonny Cocker in the Drayson Racing Lola-Judd – Click above for high-res image gallery

Melbourne, FL-based PetroAlgae has filed an S-1 document with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the hopes of raising $200 million from an initial public offering. Unfortunately, despite the promise that algae shows as a feedstock for biofuels, PetroAlgae doesn't appear to have much to offer.

Honda Insight, left; Civic hybrid

2010 Nissan Fuga / Infiniti M35h Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford Escape plug-in hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

2010 Ohio State University Buckeye Bullet – Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota has picked the finalists in its contest find a host for the Prius' tenth birthday party; now it's your turn to pick the winner. Interested people have until next Friday to head over to facebook.com/prius to check out the entries and cast votes to determine who will get to have Outstanding in the Field