Hybrids and green

Which electric car is best for you? (comparison)

Waving goodbye to your local gas station used to involve waiting lists, lease-only pilot programs, or dropping six figures on an early adopters' plaything like the Tesla Roadster. These days, just about anyone can walk into a local dealership, plunk down $35,000, and drive away in a car that doesn't have a tailpipe.

No, the 2012 Nissan Leaf, 2012 Ford Focus Electric, and 2012 Mitsubishi i-MIEV aren't the first electric cars to hit the market. However, they are in the first batch of fully electric, zero-emissions vehicles that are priced and packaged for mass consumption. Each seats four or five adults comfortably, has space for cargo and groceries, and packs much of the same (if not better) cabin technology and creature comforts as its gasoline-powered stablemates.

We've put these three models side by side in the chart below to see how they stack up and compare with one another. Green values indicate the best-performing model in each category. Which one is best for you? Read on:… Read more

2012 Toyota Prius C: Fuel economy champ

It seems like the Prius C model should come after the Prius B, and before the Prius D. But Toyota shows no interest in alphabetical naming when it comes to its Prius lineup. Toyota recently expanded the cars it calls Prius, adding to the standard model the Prius V, a plug-in version, and now the C.

The C means City, which explains the smaller dimensions of the car. The Prius C is a nice, modern little hatchback a foot and half shorter than the standard Prius. Its size makes it easy to park and maneuver through narrow lanes.

But its real virtue is fuel economy.… Read more

IBM speeds push for 500-mile EV battery

Ten years from now, range anxiety for electric cars could be a thing of the past.

IBM today announced two partners for a project aimed at building a lithium air battery able to propel an electric car 500 miles. Scientists from Asahi Kasei and Central Glass with expertise in membranes and electrolyte chemistries will join IBM researchers on the initiative.

Called the Battery 500 Project, the goal is to design an "air-breathing" battery that will use oxygen from the air to drive a new type of battery chemical reaction and, in the process, deliver a big jump in … Read more

2012 Ford Focus Electric: The strong, silent type (first drive)

Last week, I rather flippantly mentioned that I'd driven Ford's new Focus Electric, but that I couldn't talk about it. I know you've been on the edge of your seat since then, so I won't bury the lead any further and just get right into what you're here for: the drive.

On the road, the Focus Electric rides nearly identically to the gasoline-powered Focus. That is, until you listen and realize that there is no exhaust note and no engine noise, only the gentle "whoosh" of the road beneath the tires and … Read more

2013 Lexus GS 350, 450h: A tale of two sport sedans

Every year at the Western Automotive Journalists' annual Media Days at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, there's at least one large sedan that surprises me with its on-track poise. Last year, that car was the Acura TL SH-AWD, but this year it was the 2013 Lexus GS 350 F-Sport that left me scratching my head.

2013 GS 350 F-Sport

The last time I found myself behind the wheel of a Lexus GS, it was back in 2008 when a GS 450h hybrid surprised me with its straight-line performance and understated, muscular stying. The newest 2013 Lexus GS is anything but … Read more

Ford Focus Electric priced at $39,200, plays nice with your smartphone

The Ford Focus Electric has been a long time coming since it was first announced back at CES 2011. However the wait will soon be over because the tailpipe-emissions-free version of Ford's five-seater Focus is already here, and I've touched it.

Specifically, I've driven it, but Ford has asked me not to talk about the driver's-seat experience until next Tuesday (April 17), so stay tuned and check back to hear more on that.

Zero tailpipe emissions Until then, let's talk about what we do know about Ford's shot across the bow of the Nissan … Read more

2012 New York auto show: The real cars of the future

During CNET's press preview of the 2012 New York International Auto Show, I did not see some of the cars I hoped for, but saw plenty I liked. This show proved to be the most practical of the season, eschewing weird concept cars for real rubber meets the road stuff. The cars presented here are the ones you will see on the road and consider buying.

I was particularly pleased to see some much-needed new tech features from Acura, Infiniti, and Subaru, which should keep those companies relevant in this increasingly competitive space. Also on the stands were another affordable and economical BMW, along with a very strong showing of what will come of the Chrysler reorganization under Fiat. And let us not forget the flying car. Everyone wants to know about the flying car.

Here are some of the hot new cars from the show. … Read more

Fisker finds funding, Atlantic EVer will see production

The 2012 New York auto show starts early tonight with the official announcement and unveiling of the Fisker Atlantic. The Atlantic is the second new vehicle to be debuted by the vehicle (or the third if you choose to count the Fisker Surf design concept) and is Fisker Automotive's shot at building an extended-range electric vehicle that people can actually afford.

The Atlantic doesn't divert terribly from the formula set by the Karma. The sedans feature similar mustachioed front ends, the smaller Atlantic largely maintaining a scaled-down version of the Fisker design language with a few tweaks here … Read more

Fisker to debut Atlantic plug-in EV at NYC event tonight

We already know quite a bit about Fisker's follow-up to the Karma electric sports sedan. We know that it's called the Atlantic, that it's smaller than the Karma, and that it should be significantly less expensive--rumors put the MSRP at about $40,000 after a $7,500 federal tax credit. Heck, we even know what it looks like thanks to a batch of leaked photos.

However, there's a great deal that we don't know. There have been no power, range, or economy ratings leaked to go along with the photos. We don't have dimensions, … Read more

Mitsubishi i-Miev: Is 63 miles enough?

Living in a dense urban environment, I appreciate the practicalities of a small car. While testing the i-Miev, I had no qualms about driving it home every night, knowing that parking would not be much of an issue.

But with only 63 miles range, making it back and forth might have become a problem, except for the fact that San Francisco is only about seven miles wide. As the road distance of my commute comes under five miles, the i-Miev's range was more than adequate.

Sounds like the i-Miev would be the perfect car for my lifestyle, but my … Read more