Gas 2.0 |
- EPA Gives Nissan Leaf 99 MPG Rating
- Fiat 500 Makes Its First Commercial Appearance
- Toyota EV Fleet to Expand with Electric iQ in 2012
- 2012 Infiniti M35H: 360 Horsepower, 30 MPG
| EPA Gives Nissan Leaf 99 MPG Rating Posted: 22 Nov 2010 03:23 PM PST
Ok, so I know that often times, the government moves at the same place as tectonic plates, and that the EPA is indeed working on a new rating system for cars and electric vehicles. However the Leaf is not as close as the Volt is to launch, and the EPA managed to get numbers out for the Leaf that, frankly, confused the hell out of me. The EPA says one gallon of gasoline is equivalent to 33.7 kWh of battery power. The EPA also says that the Leaf gets about 3.4 miles per kWh, but they rated the Leaf's range at just 73 miles after taking it through the five-cycle course they use on regular cars. In total, the Leaf managed to get 106 mpg-e city, 92 mpg-e city. In total, 99 mpg-e, giving it the best-in-class fuel economy…even though it doesn't use a drop of fuel. They also say it takes seven hours to fully charge the battery out of a 240v outlet. While our own Editor Nick Chambers managed to get just over 116 miles in his Leaf excursion, the rating is probably pretty realistic if people drive the Leaf as they do a regular car. Still, why not just scrap the whole mpg-equivalent rating and say "This car can go about 73 miles in mixed conditions" and leave it at that? I hope the EPA doesn’t muddle the Volt’s rating as badly as they did the Leaf’s. The new ratings can't come soon enough. Source: Nissan Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout. |
| Fiat 500 Makes Its First Commercial Appearance Posted: 22 Nov 2010 11:24 AM PST
I hate crappy commercials, but I don't mind sitting through the good ones. Car companies have always had some of the best commercials (though I may be biased). This new Fiat spot isn't as much a commercial as it is a short music/motivational video that just happens to involve a car company. The 500 doesn't even appear until after the 30 second mark, and even then it doesn't even say what kind of car this is. In that sense, this video was more about Fiat, the car company, than the Fiat 500 itself. I find myself just "meh" over the whole thing even though the song made me want to stuff tissues into my ears. Neither impressed nor disgusted with the rest of it. What do you guys think? Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout. |
| Toyota EV Fleet to Expand with Electric iQ in 2012 Posted: 22 Nov 2010 10:42 AM PST
The Toyota iQ is currently sold in many European and Asian markets as a small city-commuter car, not unlike the Smart ForTwo. It's cute but hardly at the top of my list of must-have automobiles. However, Toyota plans to make an electric version of the iQ that will substantially undercut the price of other electric-car offerings like the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Of course, a lower cost means less range. The all-electric iQ will have a range of about 65 miles on a single charge, and should be hitting the market sometime in spring of 2012. No word on price, though I'm hoping that with such a limited range, it won't come in at any more than $20,000. Source: Automotive News Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout. |
| 2012 Infiniti M35H: 360 Horsepower, 30 MPG Posted: 22 Nov 2010 08:49 AM PST
Now I am sure some of you hybrid fans will be all up in arms about a hybrid that gets a measly 30 mpg on the highway. I understand, to a point. The problem with a lot of hybrids is their power, or lack-thereof. I don't like driving underpowered cars. I enjoy acceleration. A lot of people do. Unfortunately, it almost always comes at the expense of fuel economy. The 2012 Infiniti M35H isn't a hybrid for current-hybrid owners, people who can make due with double-digit horsepower. It is for people like me, who don't mind spending a bit more to go fast. The extra mpg's are just a bonus. Under the hood of the M35H is the durable 3.5 liter V6 engine, paired to a parallel hybrid system to a single electric motor. The combined output of these two powerplants is about 360 horsepower. The V6 engine alone provides 258 ft-lbs of torque, while the electric motor adds another 199 ft-lbs of torque, meaning this puppy will launch like an Apollo rocket. But that's not all! The M35H, much like the Chevy Volt, can travel a limited distance on just electric power, contributing to its 25 mpg city rating. While the M35H has just 1.2 miles of juice to go all-electric, it can travel up to 62 mph on just electricity as well thanks to its lithium-ion battery pack. Testing reveals it can go on just the electric motor alone up to 50% of the time, due in-part to the all-new dual-clutch system, seven-speed automatic transmission, and regenerative braking. Prices are expected around the mid $50,000 mark. While you might be shaking your head at this "hybrid," this kind of technology has a way of trickling down to lesser models. Besides, who doesn't want 350 horsepower and 30 mpg? Source: Nissan Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout. |
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