Toyota Prius tops customer survey
The Toyota Prius tops this year’s JD Power and Associates/What Car? 2008 UK Car Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) study.
The Prius scored 901 points out of a possible 1000, with owners reporting particularly high satisfaction levels with the model’s quality and reliability.
‘The Prius already has iconic status because of its green credentials; now it’s demonstrating that it’s also the watchword for reliability and satisfaction,’ said Steve Fowler, editor of What Car?
‘It delivers on many of the points that matter most to car buyers today: it’s environmentally friendly and reasonably frugal, yet it’s also reliable and a great car to own.’ Read more
Commitment to Sustainable Mobility
HERNDON, VA — Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. today launched responsiblemobility.com, a microsite focused on the company’s sustainable mobility strategy. The new microsite comes as the Group’s Audi and Volkswagen brands prepare to embark upon their 50-state clean diesel strategy, and as the Group continues work on next generation alternative energy innovations such as biofuels and high temperature fuel cells.
“We are a company with a tradition of combining the passion for driving with low fuel consumption, advanced technology, and a sense of responsibility for the future needs of our customers,” said Stefan Jacoby, President and Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen Group of America. “We see the sustainable future set against a series of technology horizons. We must leverage today’s technology while we continue to set our best minds to developing sustainable power trains for the future. This is something Volkswagen Group does best.” Read more
Fiat - lowest CO2 automaker in Europe
Automotive research and analysis firm JATO does an annual assessment of vehicle carbon dioxide emissions in the European Market. For several years, Fiat and Peugeot/Citroen have been going back and forth as the leader. For 2007, JATO’s analysis based on sales put Fiat at the top of the heap among the ten biggest manufacturers that do business in Europe.
Fiat’s 2007 fleet averaged CO2 emissions of only 137.3g/km while second place was a draw between Peugeot and Toyota at 141.9g/km. Peugeot and Fiat both sell far more small cars than anything else, many of them powered by diesel engines. Fiat in particular also promotes natural gas-fueled vehicles, having sold 50,000 of them in Italy in 2007.
Toyota of course has their hybrids, but they also sell a lot of diesel-powered vehicles in the European market. The big three German manufacturers trailed the pack with their higher powered cars. Volkswagen (particularly through Audi), BMW and Mercedes only achieved 161.7 g/km, 176.7g/km and 188.4 g/km respectively.
UK Opens First Hydrogen Fuel Station
UK’s first hydrogen fuel station has opened at Birmingham University, despite a shortage of potential customers.
The station is the first of 12 outlets planned to open nationwide by 2010 and will serve a campus fleet of five fuel-cell cars. It’s the first part of the infrastructure needed to support the far-off prospect of hydrogen-powered cars in the UK.
The vehicles are part of the university’s own fleet, and will allow engineering researchers to learn more about their efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Professor Kevin Kendall from the University explained the reasoning behind the station: “It is absolutely necessary that we have the means to refuel our fleet of hydrogen-powered cars so that we can carry out our research into the feasibility of hydrogen in a transport context.” Read more
Chevrolet Volt Development
Engineers at GM’s battery test facilities have developed a new computer algorithm to accelerate durability testing of the advanced lithium-ion batteries needed to power the Chevrolet Volt for up to 40 miles (64 km) of electric-only driving. This advanced computer program duplicates real-life vehicle speed and cargo-carrying conditions, and compresses 10 years of comprehensive battery testing into the Volt’s brisk development schedule.
The battery cycling equipment is used around the clock in GM test facilities in Warren, Mich. and Mainz-Kastel, Germany. It charges and discharges power from the prototype batteries based on the Volt’s approximately 40-mile electric-only drive cycle. Results from this test data will help predict the long-term durability of the battery. Read more
PlanetThoughts - Shout Out Competition
The folks over at PlanetThoughts are sponsoring Super-Cars Shout Out Competition as a way to recognize eco-conscious citizens fight against climate change by driving a high-mileage car.
The concept is simple:
1. Find high mileage cars in your area. PT has a list of high-mileage cars (>40 mpg…)
2. Place the PlanetThoughts flyer on the windshield and take a picture of the car.
3. Send it in to PlanetThoughts.
4. Click here for full details.
We all want to do what we can to reduce the global warming gases that get emitted, especially in our own areas of living and working, where we have the most direct influence. To add another dimension, it would be great to congratulate others who are doing something to help the environment.
To offer your congratulations, print off one of the contest’s flyers, place on a high-mileage car you encounter in your day-to-day activities, take a picture, and upload it to PlanetThoughts. The winner will receive a cash prize of at least $500 (see below). Car owners whose vehicles appear on the site also have a chance at some cash: contact the folks at PT if your car appears in a contest photo, and you’ll be entered into a monthly drawing for $50. The contest runs through the Labor Day.
PlanetThoughts
Despite the recent increase in news coverage of global warming, main stream media generally provides their audience with little more than surface information addressing global environmental issues. Further, the vital issues of energy availability, “peak oil” and of resource depletion are rarely mentioned. This failure has real consequences in a world that must immediately confront and plan for these mounting challenges. It is essential that the vast majority of the citizenry be informed on these issues as they are unprecedented in the scope and depth of their impact on daily life. Read more
Volvo ReCharge Will Base Research Plug-In Hybrids
Plug-in hybrid cars are being pointed out as the next step toward sustainable mobility and Volvo has already made a significant breakthrough with the Recharge, a C30-based vehicle that uses one electric engine in each wheel. This sort of technical arrangement will very likely be the one most cars in the future will use, since it presents many advantages: it frees space for luggage and passengers, since the engine compartment is not used and it eliminates the need of a steering system (turns are made by rotation differences among the wheels). Volvo and Saab have also announced a cooperation agreement, along with Vattenfall (Swedish electricity provider), ETC (Swedish batteries and fuel cells company) and the Swedish State, to develop plug-in hybrid vehicles. The news linking these two facts is that ten vehicles will be build to test the technology and there is one already on driving tests. Guess which one? The video will tell you, in case you have any doubts left. Read more
Mercedes and AMG Planning Hybrid Performance?
Dutch car-spy site autogespot has been listening intently to Volker Mornhinweg from AMG at the Geneva Motor Show last week. Mr Mornhinweg has let slip that AMG is looking into developing a hybrid engine for the performance arm of Mercedes-Benz. Read more
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Top Green Cars is a online magazine that shows that going green doesn't mean going slow. It offers a unique perspective about all current technologies, alternative fuels, revolutionary concepts and cars that take environmental performance into account. Even if you are not an alternative energy enthusiast or don't think that green or hybrid cars are performant enough, subscribe our feeds, you may change your mind soon!
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- Toyota Prius tops customer survey
- Commitment to Sustainable Mobility
- Fiat - lowest CO2 automaker in Europe
- UK Opens First Hydrogen Fuel Station
- Chevrolet Volt Development
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- Volvo ReCharge Will Base Research Plug-In Hybrids
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