For those not quite lucky enough to make it to Frankfurt to witness BMW’s new Vision EfficientDynamics concept exposed for the first time, BMW yanked off the cover yet again for an audience at the LA Auto Show on Wednesday.The ferocious-looking hybrid combines sportscar styling with electric underpinnings to deliver 62 miles per gallon, and a zero to 62 time of 4.8 seconds. Unlike similar electric vehicles that use lithium-ion or… Read More

While some automakers are following the hybrid path to improved fuel economy, and some milk the most from clean diesels, VW has found a middle road: Just do both. The company’s new Up Lite concept vehicle, revealed for the first time at the 2009 LA Auto Show, gets 70 mpg through the use of both a clean diesel engine and a secondary electric drive train.A tiny 0.8-liter, two-cylinder diesel engine thrums away at the heart of the Up Lite,… Read More

In past weeks we looked at our test-drive experiences with the 2010 Toyota Prius (third generation) and the 2010 Lexus RX 450h (hybrid SUV). Our most recent test-drive acquisition has been the Lexus HS 250h. We took it out for a week long adventure and have formulated our thoughts on it. First, let's look at the vehicle itself and why it's been such a hot seller in Japan and promises to be an equally great sales success in the U.S.… Read More

That dream of an affordable fuel-efficient luxury vehicle may be closer to fruition than we think. Fisker Automotive announced this week it received a $528.7 million loan from the US Department of Energy to create affordable, fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid electric cars. The company is focusing its new half a billion dollar budget toward “Project NINA,” which will see the design, engineering and assembly of Fisker’s next-generation hybrids.… Read More