Items tagged with Hybrid
Volvo might not be a name that you immediately think of when it comes to the electrification of automobiles (Tesla typically holds that honor), but it is taking steps to ensure that hybrids and fully-electric cars become central to its business. The company announced that starting in 2019, all of its vehicles will feature electric motors that either aid gasoline engines or take care of all propulsion duties. Many luxury automakers offer hybrid versions of their vehicles either to enhance performance or increase fuel economy, but Volvo will be the first to go “all in” on its journey to a time when...
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You better think twice before speeding down the 405. Ford has just unveiled its first “pursuit-rated” hybrid patrol car, and the Los Angeles Police Department may be one of the first agencies to get its hands on the vehicles. Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police Department Chief remarked, “Our mission to create safe and healthy communities in Los Angeles is achieved through sustainable approaches in community policing, and that includes embracing new technologies. Patrol vehicles are a police officer’s office, and we expect them to not only be economically and environmentally efficient, but also an...
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It looks as though a new competitor is looking to charge into the electrified vehicle market. Whereas Tesla Motors is squarely aimed at the passenger vehicle market with high-priced full EVs like the Model S and Model X, Nikola Motors (clearly a nod to Tesla) has its sights set much higher on the world of long-haul transportation. The headlining vehicle from this new startup is the Nikola One, a semi-truck that combines electric motors with a natural-gas-fed turbine that recharges the vehicle’s 320 kWh battery pack. Total system output is pegged at 2,000hp with 3,700 lb-ft of torque. The company...
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It looks as though Hyundai and its affiliates are taking direct aim at the Toyota Prius, and with good reason. Despite the fact that gas prices have reached lows in the United States that we haven’t seen in years, the Prius is still the by far the best-selling hybrid vehicle on the market. Many have tried to copy the success of the Prius, but all have come up short. Hyundai is going after the Prius with the similarly-shaped Ioniq, while Kia just today announced the new 2017 Niro, which uses the same platform as the Ioniq, but is wrapped in a crossover-esque body style. Compact crossovers are the...
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When Microsoft first launched its Surface line of products, it caused quite a stir in the mobile PC market. It may have taken a couple of iterations to get things dialed in to the point they are today, but simply entering the market with its own branded hardware put Microsoft in the position of essentially competing with its partners. Microsoft had a specific vision for the future of Windows-based mobile products, however, and decided to develop hardware that embodied that vision. Now that we’re a few years removed from the introduction of the original Surface and Surface Pro, it’s clear that Microsoft’s...
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Many have challenged Toyota’s dominant Prius, but none have come close to approaching its sales success. In fact, Toyota has upped the ante, expanding the family to include the Prius v and Prius c. And to top it off, Toyota just launched the fourth generation Prius, which brings with its unorthodox styling and increased fuel efficiency to fend off fresh competition. But don’t tell the to the folks at Hyundai. The company has probably the best chance yet at battling the Prius with its upcoming Ioniq hybrid hatchback. The South Korean automaker even has all of its bases covered, offering traditional...
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Toyota turned quite a few heads when it launched the fourth generation Prius in September — and not in a good way. While the Prius could always be described a somewhat quirky, its styling was for the most part inoffensive. However, the company wanted to inject a lot more flare into the new model. "As a concept, we were thinking Lady Gaga,” said Chief Prius Designer Shunsaku Kodama. “We wanted to be more extreme in our design." The folks at Hyundai, however, are having none of that. The company is on the verge of releasing its first dedicated hybrid model, the Ioniq, for the U.S. market, and it...
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If you’re at all a gearhead like most of the HotHardware staff, you’re no doubt familiar with the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. The supercar — then named the Vision SLR — was introduced in concept form at the 1999 Detroit Auto Show. The production model was introduced four years later with a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 617hp (although it was unfortunately mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission; the only transmission in Mercedes’ stable that was capable of handling 575 ft-lbs of torque in the 3,800+ pound vehicle). A later variant, the 722 Edition, came with an even more impressive...
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The Toyota Prius has never been what we’d call a “looker” by any means. The first generation model looked like a budget econobox sedan (it was), while the second generation model introduced the frumpy hatchback form-factor in 2003. The third-generation Prius, which was introduced in 2009 as a 2010 model year vehicle, was a further refinement of the previous model’s design, but still was instantly recognizable as the world’s most popular hybrid-electric vehicle. Perhaps in an effort to grab some more attention in an automotive landscape that is already littered with high efficiency cars, Toyota...
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BMW has been making some headlines in the automotive tech circuit over the past week. Earlier this week, the company revealed its brand new flagship 7-Series sedan which includes all the latest technological doodads as it does battle against Mercedes’ best-selling S-Class. Today, we revealed that BMW has partnered with Chinese internet services giant Baidu to bring a self-driving vehicle to the market by the end of 2015. And now, we’re hearing word that BMW is looking to bring a hotter version of its i8 hybrid sports car for “green” auto enthusiasts. The i8 is already a fascinating vehicle with...
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It’s hard to believe that the current generation Nissan GT-R has been available in the U.S. since July 2008. Since its debut, the GT-R has demolished vehicles costing thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars more when it comes to outright performance. This is despite the fact that the GT-R has been criticized for 1) lacking a “soul”, 2) being controlled by “nanny” computers, and 3) weighing in at nearly 3,900 pounds. The GT-R has never been starved for power, but it still will receive a significant power boost in next incarnation according to German auto publication Autobild. The 2016...
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Acura has taken so long to bring the NSX to production that I’ve sort of lost interest. That’s not to say that the NSX won’t be an amazing vehicle, but Ford has pretty much stolen the show at this year’s Detroit Auto Show with the all-new GT supercar (Ford didn’t hype the GT prior to its unveil; it just dropped the mic this morning and walked off stage). And we have to also realize that Acura first unveiled the concept for the second generation NSX way back in 2012. Three years a long time, but here were are with the official reveal of the production model. Like the aforementioned GT, the 2016...
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The Acura NSX first hit U.S. streets in 1990 and soldiered on relatively unchanged until it received a facelift in 2002; worldwide production of the aluminum-based two-seater ceased in 2005. During its 15-year production, the NSX was praised for its performance, handling, and everyday drivability. In the nearly ten years that have passed since the first NSX went out of production, its successor has undergone an extremely long gestation period. Honda went back to the drawing board at least once during the development of the second-generation car, but finally showed the world a near-final version...
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If you're a BMW enthusiast in search of a hybrid model, you have options, just not many of them. However, that's about to change. BMW this week announced that it's planning to offer plug-in hybrid versions of its core-brand models rather than restrict the more eco-friendly drivetrain to just a few variants. The first to roll off the assembly line will come from the company's 3-Series, which it will present in Miramas, France. The BMW 3-Series plug-in hybrid prototype combines a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor. It looks to be quite different from the company's ActiveHybrid...
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