THE HYUNDAI BLUE-WILL concept revealed at this year’s Seoul Motor Show was more than a mere concept; it was a preview of what’s to come.  Hyundai is planning to launch its first petrol-electric hybrid model in South Korea this month, and in the US by 2010.

Powered by an all-aluminium direct-injection 1.6 litre petrol engine connected [...]

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WHILE TOYOTA HAS already announced the start of low-volume plug-in hybrid production, the Japanese automaker will reportedly be ramping up output of the mains-charged cars to a whopping 20,000 to 30,000 cars by 2013.

By the end of this year, 500 plug-in Priuses will be leased out to government and private fleets in the USA, Japan [...]

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WORD IS CIRCULATING in Germany that Mercedes-Benz is contemplating a plug-in hybrid variant for its upcoming next-gen M-Class SUV.

According to German car mag Auto Bild, the next-gen ML may feature a 60kW electric motor mated to a twin-turbocharged 3.5 litre direct-injected petrol V6, with a plug-in system allowing an electric-only range of some 30km.

By plug-in [...]

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THE CHEVY VOLT isn’t too far away from the showroom and Volvo has just announced that it’ll be bringing out its own plug-in hybrid in 2012. They’re not alone either, as Volkswagen is already trialing its plug-in tech and high consumer interest in plug-in hybrids has prompted Honda to revise its no plug-in stance.

Not to [...]

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LATE LAST YEAR Volvo announced that it would be launching its first diesel-electric hybrid model in 2012, which will spearhead a range of fuel-sipping Volvos.

Now the Swedish automaker has upped the ante, announcing a partnership with Swedish power company Vattenfall and pledging to have its first plug-in hybrid on the road in 2012.

The industrial joint [...]

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The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI)  has set up its own working group to examine the challenges faced by importers and manufacturers of electric and plug-in hybrid cars in Australia.

The group will primarily be concerned with assessing what plug-in electric cars will need in terms of infrastructure and what impact, if any, their unique [...]

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With the hybrid and electric vehicle revolution underway, what will be the next step for commuters who want to help the environment?

Engineers at the University of Technology Sydney may have the answer with their plug-in Toyota Prius capable of returning energy to the mains grid.

The ‘Switch’ prototype Prius adds an additional lithium iron phosphate battery [...]

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Up until now, Honda has spurned the idea of producing a plug-in hybrid because of its belief that battery technology has not yet advanced enough to make such a car viable, and that hydrogen fuel cells hold more promise.

That may change in the near future however, as a number of new US Government incentives have [...]

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Subaru has announced that it’ll be bumping up the power, beefing up the torque and cutting some weight out of the next version of its Stella electric vehicle, which will enter production and commence limited sales in the middle of this year.

The production Stella will boast an extra seven kilowatts of power, 20 Newton metres [...]

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Ford has announced it is another step closer to production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Ford America, in conjunction with supplier Johnson Controls-Saft, has announced plans to build its first Lithium-ion battery facility in Holland, Michigan.

The partnership with Johnson Controls-Saft will see an advanced Lithium-ion battery system developed for the company’s first commercial plug-in vehicles, [...]

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To give a leg-up to the green car industry, the UK government is proposing financial incentives for buyers of new electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The move by the UK government is similar to the tax benefits offered to buyers of small-capacity ‘kei’ cars - with engine capacities no larger than 660cc - in Japan.

Under the [...]

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Fisker Automotive has let slip that it plans to release a lower-cost plug-in hybrid vehicle, which will be “a step above” the upcoming Tesla Model S and Chevy Volt.

Speaking to Inside Line, Fisker spokesman Russell Datz said the new model would be significantly less expensive than the $87,900 2010 Fisker Karma luxury sedan (below).
“One of [...]

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