EnviroHop - A Greener Commuting News and Information Portal.

It was just last week that Lexus dropped all the details on its upcoming new CT 200h (click here to refresh your memory), and now, as promised, the Japanese automaker has officially unveiled the hybrid hatchback at the Geneva Motor Show. Naturally, we snapped off a series of live photos for your viewing enjoyment.

Interestingly, while Lexus has yet to confirm which markets the CT will enter, our men on the scene report back, "Lexus executives were adamant about a near-simultaneous global launch a year from now. In their own words, the United States and Japan will receive the CT 200h, even if it was developed as an euro-centric model. First deliveries should begin in Q1 2011."

Until we get official confirmation on that point from Lexus, take that information and file it firmly in the rumormill folder, but it could mean good things to come for those interested in a fuel efficient premium hatchback to go up against Audi’s diesel-powered A3. Stay tuned, there’s plenty more on the way live from the show floor in Switzerland.

[Via: Autoblog Green]

We got sneak peek of the first ever Lotus Hybrid a couple of days ago, and now we’ve seen the Evora 414E Hybrid in the metallic flesh. Just a slight refresher on the technology, the 414E makes 408 horsepower and a skull-popping 590 pound-feet of torque via electricity.

That’s right, this is not your Prius-style hybrid. Like Chevy’s Volt, the Evora 414E is an extended-range electric vehicle. Meaning that it runs on batteries (for up to 35 miles) before a 47-hp three-cylinder engine kicks on to provide power. Also, instead of one electric motor, the 414E has two. One for each rear wheel. And since most of the time the car will be running off lithium-ion batteries, Lotus is employing HALOsonic Internal and External Electronic Sound Synthesis systems to make the 414E sound like a "real" car.

On the outside, the 414E looks like your "standard" Evora, except that this here show car is covered in faux-electric circuitry. Plus it’s painted in a gorgeous shade of matte copper. The real story though, is inside. Talk about Black and Gold! Even if the Evora 414E Hybrid never makes it to production (we hear it will in two to three years) we hope they offer those seats as an option. Yes, we’re odd people. Deal with it.

[Via: Autoblog Green]

Audi revealed today the details of the upcoming A8 Hybrid Concept, set to make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The new hybrid sedan is powered by a 2.0 TFSI engine and the electric motor which deliver a combined output of 245 hp (180 kW) and a torque of 480 Nm (354.03 lb-ft).

This means that the car has the same outstanding performance as a large-capacity conventional six-cylinder engine. Even the fuel consumption is impressive: only 6.2 l/100 km (37.94 US mpg), equivalent to CO2 emissions of 144 g/km (231.75 g/mile). Regarding the engine, the A8 Hybrid uses the 211 hp (155 kW) four-cylinder petrol mated to the eight-speed tiptronic transmission. The electric motor can supply a further 33 kW (45 hp) to the driveline, as well as a vigorous 211 Nm (155.63 lb-ft) of torque. In the pure electric mode the car reaches 65 km/h (40.39 mph) and cover a distance of more than two kilometers (1.2 miles).

This is the hybrid Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano! Although, we know little about this car, we can tell you that it uses a hybrid system derived from the KERS a.k.a. kinetic energy recovery system used by the F1 team in the 2009 season.

European patents already showed that the Ferrari is working on a four-wheel drive hybrid drivetrain with electric motors powering the front wheels, while an Italian magazine reported that the car will use lithium batteries as well as an electric motor in order to cut the fuel requirements of the 599’s V12 by 35 percent. More details will be revealed next week at the Geneva Motor Show!

According to the latest reports it appears that Audi is preparing a big surprise for all the car lovers around the world.

If the rumors are true we will going to see a third variant of the e-Tron Concept car at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, this time based on the recently launched Audi A1. For those who don’t know, Audi already unveiled the first e-Tron Concept back in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show and the second variant in January, at the Detroit Auto Show. The new concept car will make its official debut on 2nd of March at 13.30 and its debut will be broadcasted live due to the fact that Justin Timberlake will also be there to unveil the brand new A1. Also, Audi will present the hybrid version of the A8 in a concept form as well as the brand new RS 5 powered by the all-mighty 4.2-liter V8 engine.

[Via: 4WheelsNews]

BMW, or at least some sources of the German manufacturer, revealed today the first photos of the brand new 5-Series ActiveHybrid Concept, a new car which previews the hybrid version of the 2011 5-Series.

Set to make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the new car carries a 6-cylinder petrol engine but also a 40 Kw electric motor. Also, the car comes with a start-stop system as well as regenerative braking function which enable the recapture of energy while braking. Other details are not available yet but they will soon be released, so stay tuned!

The Hyundai i30u, the facelifted version of the i30, will also be shown at the Geneva show and will go into mass production right after the show ends. The i-flow is part of Hyundai’s “fluidic sculpture” style theme. The car is made more efficient due to its drag coefficient of 0.25.

Hyundai used a 1.7-liter diesel engine with a two-stage turbo charger, six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and an unspecified electric motor mated to a Lithium Ion-Polymer battery.

Aside from the low drag coefficient, the car impresses us all the more with its emissions of 85 grams of CO2 per kilometer, while using only 3 liters of fuel per 100km (78mpg US / 94mpg imp).

For its interior, the cabin is centered around an expansive, contoured screen, which recognizes not only touch but also gestural inputs along its fascia-wide display.

The exterior is finished in a “Liquid Metal” coating produced by BASF.

Furthermore, Hyundai said that the i30u will show changes to design and performance. Hyundai will also be showing off a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle of the ix35/Tucson, and five efficient Blue Drive versions of the i10, i20, i30, i30cw, and the ix35.

A year ago at the Geneva Motor Show, Bentley took its first tentative step toward being ever-so-slightly greener with the introduction of the Continental Supersports coupe. The Supersports was a lightweight, higher-powered version of the Continental GT that was the first in the range to offer flex-fuel E85 compatibility. After several months on the market now, Bentley is adding a convertible version of the Supersports next week in Geneva.

Bentley has also announced that, as of this June, all Continental models in all markets will get flex-fuel capability as standard equipment. Like other automakers, the flex-fuel capability includes a fuel sensor to detect the E85 concentration and adjust the engine mapping on the fly. Bentley claims a CO2 reduction of up 70 percent well to wheel (depending on the type of feedstock used to produce the ethanol).

The 621 horsepower twin-turbo W12 can push the Supersports convertible to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds. Like the coupe introduced last year, the convertible has gone on a diet, yielding a savings of 198 pounds compared to a Continental GTC Speed
 

Honda Motor Co., in three years, is likely to have a finished product that showcases the strides it has made to develop a new hybrid system for larger cars.

Tomohiko Kawanabe, chief operating officer of automobile R&D, said that the research stage is over and that they have entered the field of development. Set to be launched next week are Honda’s gasoline-electric cars such as the Insight and the CR-Z, which use a single electric motor. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius uses two motors. When these two carmakers’ systems are compared, Honda’s hybrid system is said to be simple and more affordable.

But if you talk about fuel efficiency, Toyota’s “full” hybrid system wins. Initially, Honda had planned to raise fuel efficiency in its bigger cars by using clean diesel technology.

In late 2008, Honda threw out that strategy and switched to developing a hybrid system that can be used on larger cars such as the Odyssey minivan and Pilot SUV.

While Kawanabe declined to indicate the time frame that the new hybrid system is expected to be ready, he stated that it would be about as long as the three years it takes on average to develop a new vehicle.

Honda is also currently working to develop a small diesel engine for Europe and India. Kawanabe said that the company is doing this to be able to compete in markets like India and Europe.

A hybrid version of Hyundai’s 2011 Sonata is being prepped for a New York Auto Show debut in April. The Sonata is known to offer a potent package of features and style for a bargain price. With a $19,195 price tag, the standard model is powered by Hyundai’s new 2.4-liter direct-injection four-cylinder.

The Limited version is priced $25,295, leaving room for the hybrid to slot in at sub-Camry Hybrid levels. The Camry is priced from $26,150. Sonata Hybrid’s sales are expected to increase as soon as word gets to potential buyers that this car has bolder styling there’s much less concern over potentially dangerous recall issues. It also adds a third contender to the mainstream mid-size hybrid sedan market. Currently, the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan Hybrid and the Camry are the only options. The Ford Fusion hybrid is a strong overall package and it’s priced to compete with both the Toyota and Sonata.

Efficiency. Getting more from less. Since 1948, that’s what Lotus has been about. Of course, for decades, the sports car maker’s primary goal was to squeeze more performance from less car and lighter engines, but these moves generally had the side benefits of reducing fuel consumption. The refreshed 2011 Lotus Elise is no different.

The sub-2,000 pound Elise has always managed to provide startling acceleration and handling with relatively low power engines. For the new year, Lotus has given the Elise a cleaner and somewhat less aggressive looking nose with more of a resemblance to the larger Evora. The new front shape also cuts the car’s drag by four percent.

In the engine compartment out back, the base Elise now gets a new smaller 1.6-liter inline-four to replace the current 1.8. The Toyota-sourced engine has dual variable valve timing and maintains the same 134 horsepower output as before while cutting CO2 emissions by 13 percent to 155 g/km and improving mileage to a combined 38.3 miles per gallon (U.S.) on the EU test cycle. The base Elise weighs just 1,931 pounds, allowing it accelerate to 60 miles per hour in six seconds with that modest powerplant. The updated Elise debuts next month at the Geneva Motor Show. Unfortunately, low volumes and high certification costs mean that the U.S. and Canada won’t get the new 1.6 Elise. However, even the 1.8-liter modes are still relatively efficient with the most powerful 218 hp Elise SC being rated at 20/26 mpg by the EPA.

[Via: Lotus]

This is the first official photo of the Toyota Auris HSD, a hybrid that’s highly anticipated by the automotive scene. The Auris, which will be formally introduced at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, features mechanics that are totally different from the regular version.

It’s still not confirmed but it’s believed that Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive will be seen on the Auris in the form of a 1.8-liter Atkinson gasoline engine, which is able to develop 98 bhp while connected to an electric unit that also generates 80 bhp.

Like us, we’re sure that so many fans simply want to know further details but we’ll likely know more as the Geneva Show nears. The Auris is considered a milestone by Toyota in its goal to launch its full hybrid powertrain technology across its entire model range by the early 2020s.

The Auris will be built in the UK, at the Burnaston factory and it will go on sale as soon as this summer.

Last year when the Auris hybrid was confirmed to be headed for Europe, Tadashi Arashima, Toyota Europe CEO, had said that the carmaker has taken a significant step to ensure that a broader range of customers are able to get access to full hybrids. Arashima considers these efforts to be “crucial” if we want more low-carbon vehicles on European roads.

This is a teaser shot of the Lexus CT 200h’s cat’s-eye taillight. From this rear-end shot, it appears to be a vehicle that puts a premium on curves and high style. If you’re in the US, expect to be dismayed since there are currently no plans to bring it there.

Toyota spokesman Curt McAllister said through an e-mail that the hybrid is expected to go on sale in Europe. Lexus doesn’t have a timetable yet to launch this “a new gateway model” to Toyota’s upscale brand. There aren’t yet many available details about the CT 200h. So far, Lexus has said that it will be equipped with second-generation Lexus Hybrid Drive technology. The full hybrid compact will debut at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show in March.

[Via: Insideline]

Purchasing Nissan’s Leaf pure-electric vehicle is a four-part process and the carmaker wants to make sure that potential customers how to go about it by announcing an outline. Delivery is set to start in December in some markets.

Registration can be made online. Customers can then reserve a Leaf starting in April and order one in August. Nissan has yet to reveal which markets will be the first recipients of the vehicle. Interestingly, the process coincides with the end of a 24-city U.S. and Canada Leaf marketing tour in New York.

Nissan said that so far, 50,000 people have registered online. Pricing for the Leaf will be announced in April; this will also be the time that it will open reservations accompanied by a refundable $100 deposit.

And in August, consumers can inform Nissan about plans to either lease or purchase a Leaf. Nissan sells the Leaf and home charging stations as well. Production of the Leaf and its battery pack will begin by 2012 at the Smyrna, Tenn. plant.

The plant’s conversion and construction of a batter plant will begin in May for the plant after Nissan closed on a $1.4 billion loan with the U.S. Department of Energy. Hertz Corp. has stated that it plans to rent the Nissan Leaf in selected markets in the US and Europe starting in early 2011.

Hyundai has decided to show off a rendering of the i-Flow concept car that it will show off early next month at the Geneva Motor Show. To our eyes, the i-Flow looks to be a logical push forward with the Korean automaker’s recent fluidic sculpture design philosophy, as seen on the new 2011 Sonata and sister-company Kia’s Ray concept, which is currently being shown off at the Chicago Auto Show.

Actual details on the i-Flow are still pretty hard to come by, but Hyundai says this concept will preview its new D-segment car that will go up against the likes of the Ford Mondeo in Europe. As such, we certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see some sort of diesel powertrain, or possibly even a hybrid system assisted by the i-Flow’s BASF-supplied solar cells.

We’ll have live photos of the new Hyundai i-Flow concept come March 2nd, but in the meantime, click on the image above to see it in high resolution and click past the break to read the official press release.

[Via: Hyundai]

What the heck is the Hermance Vehicle Efficiency Award? First of all, the award was named after the late Dave Hermance, who was a leading hybrid vehicle proponent who worked for Toyota prior to his death in an experimental airplane accident on November 25, 2006. This is the first year that the award has been given.

Now that that’s out of the way, the first annual Hermance Award went to the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. According to the Committee members who vote for the award, the final two contestants considered were the Fusion Hybrid and, not surprisingly, the 2010 Toyota Prius.

Interestingly, when describing the reason why the Fusion Hybrid beat out the Toyota Prius, no mention was made of any of Toyota’s various issues or recalls. Click past the break to read the full press release.

PRESS RELEASE

Ford Fusion Hybrid Wins 2010 David Hermance Vehicle Efficiency Award

New Recognition Offered for the Automotive Product Destined to Transform the Market; Inaugural Award Honors Ford Fusion Hybrid’s "Efficiency for the Mainstream"

CHICAGO, IL–(Marketwire – February 10, 2010) – Today from the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, the first-ever David Hermance Vehicle Efficiency Award was presented to the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.

Organized by BermanWorks, the media company behind HybridCars.com and PluginCars.com, this award recognizes the new car that does the most to combine segment-leading fuel efficiency with outstanding consumer appeal. Lisa Drake, Chief Engineer for Hybrid and Electric Programs at Ford Motor Company, accepted the award on stage at the Chicago Auto Show.

"The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid marries a seamless, sophisticated hybrid power-train to a highly competitive and appealing package," said Bradley Berman, Founder of BermanWorks and chairman of the award committee. The committee, comprising a who’s who of leading automotive efficiency experts, also selected the Fusion Hybrid for its solid positioning in the middle of the North American market and its promise of making high efficiency technology more broadly accessible to the public.

The award is named in honor of the late David Hermance, the highly respected executive engineer who was Toyota’s hybrid technology guru. Hermance was a tireless and engaging spokesman for efficient vehicle design throughout the industry. He was known for his vision, clarity of purpose, and passion to produce and sell ultra-efficient, eco-friendly cars for the 21st century.

"The Hermance Award recognizes the best example of Dave’s focus on design that is at once practical and efficient, affordable for consumers and profitable for automakers," said Berman. "The committee was impressed at every level by the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, which leaves no stone unturned in terms of functionality and how the car relates to the driver."

"Maximizing the appeal of fuel-efficient technology also maximizes its environmental benefits," said award committee member John DeCicco, a senior lecturer at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment. "The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid was this year’s clear winner and does an incredibly good job of making Dave’s vision for bringing hybrids further into the mainstream a reality."

The committee that selects the David Hermance Vehicle Efficiency Award is made up of automotive industry insiders who were all colleagues of Mr. Hermance and deeply honored to develop this award in his memory. In addition to Berman and DeCicco, who presented the award in Chicago, other committee members include Robert Larsen, director emeritus of Argonne National Laboratory’s Center for Transportation Research; John German, senior fellow and program director for the International Council for Clean Transportation, and Lindsay Brooke, senior editor of Automotive Engineering International. Tomorrow, Hermance award committee members Larson, German and Brooke will make a repeat presentation to the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid at the Society of Automotive Engineers annual hybrid vehicle technology symposium in San Diego.

The committee all agreed that the Fusion’s design raised the bar for the auto industry and that it would capture the approval of Dave Hermance. For more information on the award and the winning vehicle, visit: www.hermanceaward.com

About BermanWorks

BermanWorks is the media company behind HybridCars.com and the forthcoming PluginCars.com. The company’s mission is to provide trustworthy clear information about the next generation of alternative energy vehicles — creating a movement of consumers eager to purchase cars and trucks that use less oil, have a smaller environmental impact, and are fun to drive. For more information, visit www.BermanWorks.com

About the Chicago Auto Show

North America’s largest and longest-running automotive showcase, the Chicago Auto Show fills over a million square feet of Chicago’s McCormick Place each February. Featuring multiple North American and worldwide vehicle introductions, the Chicago Auto Show attracts consumers and journalists from all over the globe. For more information, visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com

12►

[Via: Hermance Vehicle Efficiency Award]

As you may know already Audi is working hard on its upcoming electric cars, but today we find out something new regarding these cars. It appears that the German manufacturer is planning to use e-Tron designation for its electric vehicles, just like the current vehicles bear the “quattro” designation.

According to the latest reports, Audi will produce an initial run of 100 units of its e-tron electric sports car at the Ingolstadt factory in 2012, but an expansion of the production volume to 1000 units is planned. The first electric car will be based on the E-Tron Concept, unveiled back in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show and will use a modified platform as well as its aluminum construction from the R8 sports car.

12►

After a teaser campaign, Kia finally presented today at the Chicago Auto Show, its brand new Ray Concept, a new car representing a sleek styling exercise to tell the world that the company is working hard on plug-in hybrid technology.

The new concept is actually the next chapter in EcoDynamics, Kia’s subbrand to develop and showcase fuel-stretching and emissions-cutting technologies, and is capable to travel 50 miles in electric mode while the total range is an impressive 746 miles. And this is not all!

The new Ray Concept shows that electric vehicles can have an exciting design without trade-offs that create look-alike cars. “It is important to imagine what people will want in the future from a green perspective early in the design process. People want to reduce their carbon footprint without driving carbon copies” said Peter Schreyer, chief design officer at Kia Motors Corp.

Based on the Forte vehicle platform, the four-door compact Ray carries a 153-hp, direct-injection, 1.4-liter gasoline engine attached to a continuously variable transmission and linked to a 78-kilowatt electric motor. Also, it features a rooftop solar cells embedded in the glass roof panel that can power the climate control system or extra lighting.

Furthering EcoDynamics innovation, the Ray concept’s advanced system is equipped with an engine-power saving alternator management system and a toggle gear-shift up/down indicator to encourage economical driving. Custom-designed low-rolling resistance with a hexagon pattern, narrow 20-inch (195/50R20) tires also improve Ray’s efficiency.

After Toyota Motor Corp.’s recalls in the US, Europe and other markets, the carmaker is now moving to recall the latest generation Prius hybrid car in Japan, according a source familiar with the matter.

This report is seconded by many other news agencies which cited multiple sources. Toyota has revealed that it is in talks with safety regulators worldwide on how to fix a software defect, which results to a braking delay in certain road conditions. Last Friday, Toyota President Akio Toyoda apologized for the recall of 8 million vehicles. Toyoda had added that the carmaker was hurrying to reach a decision about the Prius.

Of course, Toyota has been aiming to restore consumers’ confidence in the brand. Toyota is currently under fire, with criticism coming from U.S. safety authorities and members of the Obama administration who accuse it of not responding fast enough on issues related to unintended acceleration linked to 19 crash deaths in the US in the past decade.

According further to the source, the announcement to recall the 2010 Prius is likely to come from a filing with Japan’s Transport Ministry on Tuesday and will be followed by plans elsewhere.

Of that number, 139,000 are in North America and 223,000 are in Japan. The other models affected by this recall are the Plug-in Prius, the Lexus HS250h and the Toyota Sai, a reskinned version of the Lexus HS sold under the Toyota badge only in Japan. The Prius is the best-selling car in Japan.

According to Tom Stephens, GM’s vice chairman of global product operations the Two Mode hybrid powertrain developed by the American manufacturer and used only on trucks, will soon migrate to rear-drive cars in the next-generation and the best candidate will be Cadillac.

GM is already developing an engine that is 25 percent smaller and 20 percent more powerful than the motor used in today’s Two Mode hybrid full-sized trucks. “The new motor will be lighter. It will be more affordable,” said Stephens. The new motor will debut in 2013 in GM’s next-generation, full-sized trucks and due to the fact that is smaller GM will also use these motors in cars. Cadillac ATS, a rear-drive Cadillac smaller than the CTS is expected to carry GM’s next-generation Two Mode hybrid system as well as the next-generation CTS, which will debut in 2012.