Data compiled by TrueCar shows that, despite gasoline costing only $3.58 a gallon in the U.S., there was still a bit more of a rush to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles in September than there was back in August, when gas averaged a slightly higher $3.65.

TrueCar says that U.S. consumers purchased vehicles that averaged 22.0 miles per gallon in September 2011, compared with 21.7 mpg in August and 21.4 mpg in September 2010. Additionally, the automotive intelligence firm reports that, among individual automakers, Hyundai emerged the fuel economy victor, with an average of 26.7 mpg, while Chrysler’s 19.2-mpg average landed it in dead last poition.

Meanwhile, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute reports that the average fuel economy of vehicles sold in September came in at 22.1 mpg – unchanged from the University’s published month-of-August results. Michael Sivak, a research professor at the University of Michigan’s institute, says he’s not surprised by the slight discrepancy between his calculations and TrueCar’s measure:

The two methodologies and the data sources are slightly different. However, the actual values are not that different from each other

Why does nudging up that 22.0 or 22.1 mpg number matter? Well, TrueCar estimates that an increase of a mere one mpg on the estimated annual U.S. sales of approximately 13 million vehicles would reduce our fuel consumption by 416 million gallons. So, even 0.1 mpg is significant.

Average fuel economy of vehicles sold in September hits 22.1 mpg originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stefanik said the team was planning to make a driver change for 2012 so he decided it was time to go.

“I guess they’re going to make a change so make a change,” Stefanik said. “It just wasn’t working out for everybody. It just wasn’t working.

What’s the greenest way to get from point A to point B? Is it by airplane or train? How ’bout by bus? Or is a grid-charged electric vehicle the greenest mode of transport?

Well, the answer depends on the length of the trip. Is it 350 miles? If so, then a bus seems to be the greenest means to get there. If it’s a long-distance trip (2,500 miles), then, once again, the bus comes out on top, according to One Block Off The Grid’s “The Greener way to get there” infographic. But what if the trip is only 20 miles? Is the bus still king?

The full infographic, complete with the greenest way to get there from here to there and loads of additional carbon footprint-related statistics – including why solar panels could make a world of difference in regards to plug-in vehicle emissions – can be found after the jump.

Continue reading Infographic: What’s the greenest way to get there?

Infographic: What’s the greenest way to get there? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The simple, amazing, but not quite perfect Daimler Car2go car-sharing program is headed to France with the assistance of Europcar.

Within a month, Lyon will become the first city in France to participate in Car2go with a fleet of 200 on-demand Smart Fortwo commuter cars. A 44-square-kilometer (17-square-mile) area defined by Daimler will soon mark the “geofence” where the cars will be available for rent.

Like all Car2go programs, the system in Lyon will allow members to use the Smart Fortwos for as long as they like, without requiring users to commit to a specific return time or location. Members pay only for the time of use, with rentals as short as one minute.

More than 45,000 people and 1,100 vehicles in Germany, the U.S. and Canada participate in Car2go. Daimler says its on-demand vehicle rental service has so far proven to be a success in four cities: Ulm and Hamburg in Germany, Austin, TX and Vancouver, Canada. Daimler is also getting set to try out Car2o rentals of the all-electric Smart Fortwo ED in Amsterdam and San Diego, CA.

Continue reading Car2go Smart Fortwos headed to France with Europcar partnership

Car2go Smart Fortwos headed to France with Europcar partnership originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Korean automaker Hyundai is getting ready to take direct aim at the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid with its scheduled-to-launch-in-2013 Hyundai i30 gas-electric with a plug, according to a report from German news outlet Auto Motor und Sport.

Word is Hyundai’s first-ever mass-produced plug-in hybrid – to be based on the recently unveiled i30 – will debut in late 2012, with its European launch scheduled for sometime in 2013. Auto Motor und Sport reports that when it hits, the hybridized i30 will become Europe’s cheapest plug-in gas-electric, undercutting the less-than-£26,000-after-rebate price of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid in the UK (that’s $40,435 U.S. at today’s exchange rate).

At this time, no further details on the i30 plug-in hybrid have surfaced and Hyundai has not confirmed the development, launch schedule or pricing for this plugged-in compact hatchback. Still, if this is a trial balloon, we like the way it’s floating.

2013 Hyundai i30 plug-in hybrid to undercut price of Toyota Prius Plug-in originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For Keith Rocco of Wallingford on Sunday, the number 13 didn’t mean anything dreadful, but rather represented the exclamation point on a season of total domination at the Waterford Speedbowl.

Rocco easily left all challengers deep in his rearview on the way to winning the Finale Weekend 50-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature at the Speedbowl.

It was the 13th victory in 23 SK Modified events this year at Waterford, extending once again his record for SK Modified division wins in a season.

The fuel cell boom is coming.

According to Pike Research, sales of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) will break the one-million-unit mark by 2020, with a cumulative 1.2 million vehicles sold globally by the end of that year. All those road-worthy FCVs will generate $16.9 billion in annual revenue by 2020. Yep, that’s billion, with a “b.”

Pike Research’s analysis indicates that, from 2010 to 2014, approximately 10,000 FCVs take to the streets. Then, in 2015, the firm forecasts that 57,000 FCVs will be sold around the globe, with sales soaring to 390,000 vehicles annually by 2020. To compare, it took one company, Toyota, a decade to sell a million gas-electric hybrids around the world.

Like with plug-in vehicles, the hydrogen boom won’t play out the same everywhere. Pike predicts the following places will be FCV-heavy by 2020: the United States (primarily California and New York City), Germany, Scandinavia, Japan, South Korea and Shanghai, China. It should go without saying that none of Pike’s predictions will come true without a significant increase in the hydrogen infrastructure, but that’s being worked on, too.

Continue reading More than 1 million fuel cell vehicles will be sold by 2020

More than 1 million fuel cell vehicles will be sold by 2020 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelly, of New London, inherited the lead when Panaroni was black flagged with 11 laps remaining and went on to win the 50-lap Northeast Mini Stock Tour feature Saturday at the Waterford Speedbowl.

Emerson Cayer of Contoocook, N.H. was second and Ken Cassidy Jr. of Lisbon was third.

Made almost entirely of aluminum and featuring direct injection, variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust sides and a high-efficiency turbocharger, the new-for-2013 1.8 liter gasser from Alfa Romeo and Fiat Powertrain Technologies is one of those downsized engines that combines all of the latest technologies into a single package.

This Euro VI-compliant turbo’d four-banger is designed to meet stringent emissions standards (U.S. Tier 2 Bin 5), while cranking out up to 300 horsepower. It’s this engine that’s expected to power the production version of the Alfa Romeo 4C and, given that it has been engineered to be mounted either in back or up front, longitudinally or transversely, it’s sure to end up in other Alfa Romeo and Fiat vehicles, too. It’s by no means a stretch to assume this 1.8-liter gasser will someday power at least a couple of future Chrysler vehicles, too, don’t you think? Details in the press blast after the jump.

Continue reading Fiat details Euro-VI 1.8-liter 300 hp Alfa Romeo 4-cylinder engine

Fiat details Euro-VI 1.8-liter 300 hp Alfa Romeo 4-cylinder engine originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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