Hybrid

Ford has announced the pricing for its 2013 C-MAX hybrid, a crossover that has the look of a small minivan without the sliding doors. The American automaker says the base price of US$25,995 will undercut the Toyota Prius v wagon by $500. Read More

Still think hybrids and green cars are meek and hipsterish? Plant your eyes on the US Army's Fuel Efficient ground vehicle Demonstrator Bravo. It's one of the burliest vehicles you've likely seen in years, and it's all hybrid underneath its rugged sheet metal. Read More

One of the nice things about motorsport is its ability to put excellence in perspective. It hence reflects well on Audi that in debuting two race cars in the Spa Six Hour race yesterday, it achieved a rare perfect result. In fielding two each of the new Audi R18 ultra and R18 e-tron (hybrid) quattro cars, the marque finished with a stunning 1-2-3-4. In the end, it was the diesel-only R18 ultra which prevailed over the R18 e-tron quattro diesel-electric hybrid by 46 seconds. All cars ran strongly, and the hybrids in particular will benefit from the outing, as the balance of the car with its electrically-driven front wheels is still far from optimal. Read More

Volta Volaré has begun taking orders for its four-seater GT4 hybrid private aircraft it calls "the most technologically advanced private aircraft available anywhere on Earth." Though the GT4 is perfectly capable of taking off and flying powered only electrically, a gas engine starts when the airplane's battery drops to 25 percent capacity in order to recharge it mid-flight. Surprisingly, perhaps, Volta Volaré makes a strong economic case for the GT4. Because the powertrain has only one moving part - the motor or "EViation Drive" - the company claims the need for maintenance is reduced significantly, offering increases in TBO (time between overhaul) by up to a factor of ten when compared to a combustion engine. Read More

In addition to recently showing off its brand new F12 Berlinetta in Beijing, Ferrari brought along the latest version of its HY-KERS hybrid system. The system has been tweaked for a mid-rear engine layout. Read More

Smart has provided some more information on the company’s first foray into transportation of the two-wheeled, pedal-assist variety. With help from the likes of parent company Daimler, the bike’s battery supplier, and GRACE, the Berlin-based e-Bike manufacturer that helped in its design, the smart ebike was put through its paces in February in Majorca to test the bike ahead of its impending release. Read More

Fisker Automotive has revealed the shape of its future with the unveiling of a new design prototype - the Fisker Atlantic. The wraps were taken off the four-door Atlantic - which Fisker sees as the "next step in its transition from start-up automaker to mainstream American manufacturer" - in a preview event on the eve of the New York Auto Show. Read More

Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa appears to have suggested that hybrid technology is ready for commercial rollout. But he hasn't stopped there, hinting at a future in which both hybrid Ferraris and six-cylinder Ferraris may be the rule. Read More

The strength of the world's emerging economies was on display at the opening of the Thai Motor Show today. For the next 10 days, 170,000 people a day will visit the show, and despite the country having been largely under water for much of 2011, the Thai motor industry looks more buoyant than ever. Almost every major manufacturer had something on show we haven't seen before. Great picture gallery. Read More