Rising gas prices means smaller cars are being made, however according to data by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), drivers of subcompact and compact cars are more likely to be killed in a multiple-vehicle accident, than those driving large cars, pickup trucks or SUVs. This could be a problem for small hybrid cars, some say that the only way around that problem would be to reverse the laws of physics. This also means that if you drive a small fuel efficient car that you compromise safety. Automakers like Honda have begun to make smaller cars that have all the standard safety features and include a design that allows for more safety in smaller vehicles.
GM Hybrids sales for the first quarter of 2008 have been extremely low. In the months of January to March they were only to sell a total of 843 hybrid sales. These numbers breaks down to 655 Tahoe and Yukon models, 158 Saturn Vues, 20 Saturn Auras, and 10 Chevy Malibus. These numbers add up to 80,000 units, this the company says is still going well for this year but they want to improve those numbers. However with the current economic conditions including the pending recession and gas prices means that customers will spend less money in order to afford gas or spend a lot to save money on gas.
The process of building an electric car is considered by experts to be very difficult even by today’s standard. It takes a lot of money, man power, and the right materials. The most recent updates on electric cars comes from Telsa Motors, Fisker and Coachbuild who are both working on new cars the White Star and the Karma. Both companies have had several delays in making these vehicles, production has been laid back and initial prices have risen. They have also begun making other concept cars that were shown at several of the previous auto-shows.
Yes, that’s right, Dodge has decided to make a hybrid version of their Ram pickup truck. This new version will be released in 2010, this part of the company’s effort to revive the company’s product portfolio. The truck will run on a hemi powered hybrid system that is also being applied to the hybrid Durango and the hybrid Aspen. This will be tricky for Dodge because hybrid technology has not yet been applied to a full-size or larger pickup truck or SUV. They also plan to release a non-hybrid turbo-diesel that will meet 50-state full standards, and deliver a 30% full economy improvement.
Auto-makers around the world are under pressure to start making smaller cars that run on less gas or on a different fuel source. The auto company Mercedes plans on making a new four-cylinder engine, this new engine is said to offer greater power and greater economy. However they have no definite time-line for bringing the engine technology over to the United States. Even though diesel engines in America are not popular right now, this one is gaining anticipation for release in the U.S. market.
Auto-makers left and right all took beatings in March, they hit their lowest level in sales since 2005. However for the car company Toyota was able to increase sales of some of their smaller cars. This is the first time since May 2007 that small cars have outsold trucks, especially the hybrids. The Prius had its best overall sales since last March, while the Toyota Camry hybrid out sold the Camry V6.
The economy in despair, the war in Iraq proving semi-pointless, and the environmental problems have all been hot button issues for the presidential candidates. However with oil prices hitting record highs, the younger voter demographic have begun to focus more on the environmental challenge. All three presidential candidates have made efforts to be seen as forward thinking environmentalists, the democratic candidates have already begun work on environmental stimulus packages. They hope that if by the summer the gas prices rise to 4.50 a gallon that these plans will help relive some of that preasure.
It might be the solution to our fuel problems, a full-function, freeway-capable five-passenger sedan that runs on electricity alone. The company that is promising this vehicle is the California based auto-mobile maker Miles Electric Vehicles. They are planning to bring a Chinese-built EV to the U.S. market by the end of 2009, the XS500, which will be the first affordable, all-electric highway sedan. Originally scheduled for 2008, the car has been meat with delays because of safety measures. This vechile can travel at a minimum speed of 80 miles per hour, and achieve a range of more than 120 miles.
The United Kingdom of the London will, by October, impose a $50-a day carbon emission fee on every private car going through the central city to try and lower carbon emissions. For some in the city this will mean $100 a day for work and school runs. This has caused a threat of lawsuits from British car company Porsche and a number of other angry London Drivers. This will follow the five year running congestion charge of $16 to deal with the “bottle necks” that have turned most of London into a parking lot. This plan has inspired cites like New York and San Francisco to try and impose their own emissions fee for people through the main parts of the city.
The Japanese Auto-maker Hyundai has announced that it will be making mass produced hybrids for 2009. The first of these will be the Avante, a sedan hybrid that will run on a combination of propane and electricity. This company has since 2004-2005 invested 1-billion dollars into hybrid technology for their cars, however these plans have since been delayed. However this recent announcement suggests that Hyundai is ready to resume its hybrid plans, starting with this new Avante and its propane hybrid engine.
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