Across the country, hybrid cars are proving their worth as taxi cabs. In San Francisco, Ford Escape Hybrids have hit the 300,000 mile mark without any major problems and have saved consumers over $9,000 per year since inception. And taxi fleets in other major cities, such as New York, have now adopted large quantities of hybrid cars—up to 15 percent.
Kia will exhibit the upcoming Forte LPI Hybrid at the Seoul Auto Show this month. The 41-miles-per-gallon car will be the automaker’s first hybrid but certainly not the last. More green vehicles will be released under the Eco-Dynamics name, Kia’s new sub-brand.
Not only does the upcoming Ford Fusion Hybrid offer impressive fuel economy, but the car is safe, too. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the vehicle its “Top Safety Pick” rating, in part due to its special features such as Cross Traffic Alert and its Blind Spot Information System.
Kia Motors will enter the hybrid car market with a new version of its Forte compact car. The vehicle is said to achieve 41 miles per gallon and may be available as early as next year.
The BBC reports that batteries made of viruses—yes, viruses—may soon be running our hybrid cars. To overcome the difficulties of working with particular materials such as lithium, scientists are genetically engineering viruses to create the positive and negative charges required to power cars and other electronics. While today’s prototypes have limited recharge cycles and are too small for most uses, researchers hope to make significant progress in this technology in the coming years.
“Chinese leaders have adopted a plan aimed at turning the country into one of the leading producers of hybrid and all-electric vehicles within three years,” says the New York Times. While the country has largely missed the boat for today’s hybrid craze, it may not need to front the same research and development costs associated with the Japanese automakers’ pioneering strategies.
Cleaner, more efficient cars may also be key to clearing Chinese skies, often condemned as toxic to citizens and the environment.
We’re pleased to announce that myHybridCar.com members have logged 1 million miles in our fuel economy database. This is our first major milestone, accomplished less than two weeks after launch. A huge thanks to all the hybrid owners that are contributing to this fantastic resource!
Nissan will introduce a hybrid version of its luxury car, the Infinity M. Of note, while other automakers such as Toyota and Honda use nickel-metal hydride batteries in their vehicles, Nissan is opting for lithium ion batteries.
Green-conscious “hypermilers” will be pleased to learn the new Ford Fusion hybrid can top 50 miles per gallon with advanced driving technique. The 2010 vehicle, rated 41 city and 36 highway, follows the Ford Escape Hybrid and marks a new era of efficient cars coming out of Detroit.
