It's that time of the year again. Last year, BMW managed to snag the top honors for World Green Car of the Year with its little 118d, beating out stiff oil-burning competition from Volkswagen and smart in the process. Might we get an electric winner for 2009? That seems possible now that we've gotten an early look at next year's candidates. For the entire list of potential winners, click past
What's the most important aspect to consider when purchasing a new car? For German women, the answer is the same as it is for nearly everyone else: safety and security. In fact, 97 percent of respondents in a recent survey pointed to security as the most vital auto need. The next most important attribute, again not surprisingly, was quality, closely followed by - you guessed it - price. Of course, you get what you pay for, to quote the old saying. Anyway, things get a bit greener from there, wit
Listen in to a fascinating conversation that took place yesterday on green car politics, featured on the radio show, "Your Call." (KALW, 91.7 FM, San Francisco, CA). The show gave me a chance to discuss some of my research on "The Clean Car Movement," and also featured Meghan Sinott (Organizer for the Car Free Cities Conference in Portland, OR), Michou Olivera (Co-Owner of Luscious Garage, San Francisco), and Russ Heimerich (
Both Senators McCain and Obama have expressed support towards the development of alternative fuel and vehicle technologies - but which candidate has the best green car platform? The Christian Science Monitor brought together five clean energy experts to assess each candidate's platform. Here's where the candidates stand:
What are the best green cars available to consumers in 2008? The Toyota Prius certainly springs to mind, and that model is in fact KBB's top choice in their new Top Green Cars of 2008 list. Six of KBB's top ten choices are hybrids, which is not surprising given their comparatively low fuel consumption numbers. There are three gasoline powered cars on the list, the
A new study conducted by a Zurich insurance company gives new meaning to the benefits of owning a green car. In a survey that examined the color of vehicles to frequency of bird droppings, results showed that owners of green cars were less likely to find bird poo stains (86%) compared to owners of silver cars (92%).
Marketing company JWT recently proclaimed that blue would be taking over from green as the new color for the environmental crowd to get behind. Naming trends seem to support this theory, with BlueTec and BlueMotion both highlighting clean diesel technology. Now, DuPont is reporting that the color blue is gaining ground on white, which is currently the most popular shade to order a
Some see the success of the Toyota Prius, compared to such competitors as the Civic Hybrid, as proof that green cars need to look different from their normal siblings. While it may be a bit early on in the game to make this assessment, Ford's North American director of car design, Pat Schiavone, suggests that there could be a trend towards "green" styling cues. For instance, cars like the Honda Insight and GM EV1 are easily recognizable for their teardrop shape and covered wheels, both of which
Daryl Hannah prefers guys with green cars
Year after year there are hucksters trying to sell miracle devices that reduce your fuel consumption. They're almost always proven to be complete shams. But now you can truly make your car greener for less than the cost of a tank of gas.
I know that some people think that the Smart car is a little funny looking as it is. I think it's all right. I mean, it may not be the coolest car on the road, but it's kind of neat in its own little quirky way. But, even those who think it is horrible would probably agree that it is pretty efficient. With space for two people and some belongings, it is all the vehicle that many need. It sells in Europe already, and the next model is supposed to be for sale in the States at some point. You may h
Nissan, like the German automakers, initially was hesitant to develop hybrid vehicles. But seeing Toyota's and Honda’s success in the fast-growing segment, Japan’s second largest automaker tentatively took steps to the ‘green’ side by licensing parts from Toyota for the upcoming hybrid Altima which is to debut later this year.
Though Toyota has yet to issue an official press release on the subject, Dale Jewett in an Automotive News piece has revealed that the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid will start at $26,480 when it reaches dealers in May. That price is around $5,000 less than a Honda Accord Hybrid sans a nav system, which has a sticker of $31,540.
