Plug In Hybrid

In the science of the plug-in hybrid, there's little new.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says that a new compact car in Japan will get the e-Power system, which is a range extender for an EV.

Tesla thinks that the California Air Resources Board is moving in the wrong direction by loosening the rules for midsize automakers. The company also wants even fewer zero-emissions vehicles credits available on the market to be traded among companies.

California is adjusting its zero-emissions vehicle mandate to help smaller automakers. Rather than completely excusing them from the program, the companies may offer plug-in hybrids and still receive ZEV credits for them.

Plug In America touts plug-in vehicle quality but bemoans inconsistent government policy.

As fuel prices keep falling across the US, sales of fuel efficient vehicles keep going with them. By AutoblogGreen's tally, the market for green cars, which includes diesels, is down 6.4 percent through November 2014. However, there is a bright spot in the bleak news. Plug-in sales are actually up for the year by about 30 percent. A report from the US Energy Information Administration, a branch of the Department of Energy, finds that this segment is still growing. Though, their popularity is sti

Bob Lutz is staying very busy. The ex-vice chairman of General Motors, and champion of the Chevrolet Volt, has been named chairman of the board at Via Motors. Lutz will need to squeeze that in between his role as senior advisor at vehicle interior designer Katzkin, being an owner at VL Automotive and perhaps as an advisor to Wanxiang and Fisker Automotive.

General Motors is at it again with a new Chevrolet Volt TV commercial. Viewers of the Winter Olymics (at least in some markets) recently saw a TV ad in between the skating and the skiing that made no mention of the environmental benefits or freedom from the power of Big Oil that electric vehicles provide. No, this one was based on pure survival instinct.

Canada is going to soon make a big mark in the global market for electric trucks and vans, thanks to a deal with Via Motors. Sun Country Highway, a Canadian company dedicated to the adoption of zero emission transportation, has inked an $80-million deal with Via to purchase plug-in hybrids for businesses across the country. So far, an order for the first 100 extended-range utility vehicles with an $8-million deposit has been placed with Via. These work trucks and vans, all converted General Moto

A refreshed Ford Focus is in the works and that means a few details are leaking out. Spy shots from last month indicated the Focus will have a gaping grille just like its "One Ford" global C-segment comrade, the Fiesta. While Ford is being quiet about it, the Focus could also be getting an "Energi" option, joining the C-Max Energi and Fusion Energi in Ford's plug-in hybrid family.

General Motors teased consumers two years ago when it showed off a Chevrolet Volt decked out with 4G LTE connectivity. More details were finally unveiled this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas: the 2015 Chevy Volt will have a 4G LTE option and will offer consumers an as-yet-unpriced option with much faster wireless internet connection and more smartphone apps. GM's OnStar has teamed up with AT&T to come up with several mobile apps alongside the roadside assistance.

If you're getting annoyed by a 'thumping' noise caused by driving your Chevy Volt with the windows down, there is a fix kit available. One Volt owner in San Diego, CA, was pleased to have the problem solved, allowing him to go back to being a "fresh air fanatic."

Cadillac dealers will soon receive deliveries of the all-new 2014 ELR extended range electric luxury coupe. Shipments started from General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck facility this week, and initial deliveries will take place after the first of the year.

Chinese automaker BYD is preparing to launch its second-generation Qin plug-in electric hybrid in Costa Rica next year. No details have been released yet on launch date, pricing, warranty or amenities. Sales will commence in Central and South America through what BYD describes as the region's "largest automobile distributors."

The Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid has had a charmed life so far. Qualifying for California HOV lane status and getting impressive range and miles per gallon equivalent numbers are all bound to help its market image. Now, the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi has earned a five-star Overall Vehicle Score, the highest possible, from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The official, revamped website for Fisker Automotive appears to be more of an homage to the company's focus on style rather than an accurate snapshot of the struggling automaker's actual troubles.

The top-selling dealership offering the Fisker Karma has got some deep discounts available as it awaits the future of the troubled automaker. Fisker of Orange County is dropping the price well below the manufacturer's suggested retail level of between $105,000 and $120,000. In fact, a Karma recently sold for "just" $80,000.

Tony Posawatz, president and CEO of Fisker Automotive, recently made the case for how Fisker and other cleantech companies can find the right investors. Speaking at a conference in Santa Barbara, CA, Posawatz said new clean technologies take years to be adopted and investors should be patient.

Details of the A123 Systems bankruptcy proceedings are getting ironed out, and have been given the green light by US Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey. The federal judge approved an outline of lithium ion battery maker A123's liquidation plan to be used by creditors, who will decide whether to vote for or against the repayment plan.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will play a big role in the moves the Volkswagen Group is making towards increased e-mobility starting in 2014. Oliver Schmidt, general manager engineering and environmental office for Volkswagen Group of America, speaking at the recent SAE 2013 Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Technologies Symposium, said the automaker will be launching at least six plug-in hybrid models across its brands.