Thursday, February 25, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Tesla Announces New Lease Option for Roadster: $1,658 Per Month

Posted: 25 Feb 2010 03:24 PM PST

In an attempt to “allow even more people to experience what the Tesla Roadster has to offer” and to get ready for the “springtime Roadster rush,” Tesla has just announced a brand new lease option for the already iconic electric car.

The lease will run for 3 years/30,000 miles, includes access to Tesla’s Rangers mobile service team, and starts at $1,658 per month for the base model. Of course, you also have to plunk down $12,453 just to get the lease started. Wow! Let me just sell my house and I’ll be right over.

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Mugen Unveils Accessories For Honda CR-Z Hybrid

Posted: 25 Feb 2010 02:33 PM PST

The Honda CR-Z hit markets today in Japan, and should make it to North American and European markets later this year. At $25,340 it is a bit pricier than the Prius and Insight, but arguably better looking as well. It is also the only hybrid in the world to offer a six-speed manual transmission as an option. While underpowered and overweight, it is a stylish breath of fresh air in the hybrid market.

Mugen, an aftermarket tuning company formed by the son of Honda’s founder, has released images and details of its first body kit for the CR-Z. While this kit offers more in the way of looks than performance, it is yet another step-up in the looks department.

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VW Touareg Hybrid Costs $27,000 More Than Base Model. Are You Privileged Enough?

Posted: 25 Feb 2010 02:29 PM PST

Even though its official launch is next week at the Geneva Auto Show, VW has just announced that their brand new Touareg hybrid SUV is available for German customers to order right now… for the paltry sum of 73,500 Euros (roughly $100,000). Holy hell. That’s just about $27,000 more than the lowest base price of a non-hybrid version of the Touareg in Germany.

I don’t know, would you rather own a Tesla Roadster or a VW Touareg hybrid? Craziness.

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Hummer Sale Falls Through; Is Hummer Too Toxic to Sell?

Posted: 25 Feb 2010 01:59 PM PST

Has the Hummer brand become too toxic to sell? After months of negotiations between General Motors and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. Ltd, a Chinese company, it appears as though the deal has fallen through. Speculation points at the Chinese government regulators unwillingness to grant approval to the deal.

While GM has said it is considering two previous offers on the brand, it also said it was getting ready to wind the brand down. This news comes around the same time the military announced that it winding down its Humvee fleet and preparing for a modern replacement.

Is this really the end of the Hummer era? Or will GM and its suitors find salvation for Hummer like it did for the spunky Saab brand?

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New Compact Lexus CT 200h Hybrid Photos Leaked Ahead of Geneva Auto Show

Posted: 25 Feb 2010 01:52 PM PST

In true modern internet style, pictures of Lexus’ brand-spanking-new compact hybrid 4-door hatchback appear to have leaked out ahead of its official debut in Geneva next week… there is no such thing as surprise car launches anymore.

Building on the LF-Ch concept shown at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year (and then dragged from auto show to auto show), the Lexus CT 200h, although moderately toned down, appears to have not strayed far from that car’s original styling cues.

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HumanCar Finally Ready To Hit The Road?

Posted: 25 Feb 2010 12:57 PM PST

I have been following the saga of the HumanCar for a few years now. The idea was interesting from the onset, a plug-in electric vehicle that forced “drivers” to use a rowing motion to provide forward propulsion.

Of course, calling it a car is a stretch. There is no windshield, no roof, and the body is little more than a plastic mold fitted over a bike-like chassis. With a top speed of 30 mph on level streets, it isn’t going to get you anywhere in a hurry either. But it does combine mobility en masse with a bit of exercise, something most Americans (including me) could use.

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Five Axis Design Releases Info On New Prius Bodykit

Posted: 25 Feb 2010 12:53 PM PST

Back in November, the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association held its annual show where all sorts of companies put on displaying their new products. These ranged from simple fuel additives and in-car audio equipment to entire built-from-the-ground-up cars. But while there was a heavy emphasis on power and style, a few hybrids managed to sneak in and make waves.

Among them was the Toyota Aerius kit, by Five Axis Designs. Five Axis teamed up with Toyota to produce the kit, and they are now offering a modified version for public purchase, giving some aggressive styling to the Prius while maintaining its low drag coefficient.

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