It was only a matter of time before the rich and famous began hopping on the Chevrolet Volt bandwagon, since the Toyota Prius is in imminent danger of becoming passé.

The Volt has found owners among luminaries like Jeff Gordon, Jay Leno, Stephen King and Alyssa Milano. ”I think it’s a great car,” said Leno in an interview with the LA Daily News. “I just like its environmental technology and it is American technology. I like the fact that it’s electric when you want it and gasoline (assisted) when you need it.”

GM previously enlisted other celebrities like Bill Nye, host of a popular children’s science program, to critique the car before it entered production. President Barack Obama also took the car for a famously short drive down the assembly line, but has yet to make the switch from his Cadillac limousine.

[Source: Inside Line]

At the 32nd International Motor Symposium in Vienna, Austria, Volkswagen head honco Dr. Martin Winterkorn announced that the Volkswagen Group will launch a range of plug-in hybrids starting in 2013, calling electric vehicles the “task of the century” for the auto industry.

Winterkorn didn’t specify which models would get a plug-in hybrid variant, and the move comes as slightly surprising considering how heavily invested Volkswagen is in diesels while offering comparatively little in the way of conventional hybrids. “The electric car will impact the future of individual mobility in crucial ways – and Volkswagenis spearheading this technology. Over the mid-term, the plug-in hybrid offers great potential,because it combines the best of two worlds in one vehicle,” said Winterkorn.

VW also released two diesel engines at the show, a 1.4L and 2.0L TDI engines, with the 2.0L meeting strict American emissions standards.

BMW North America CEO Jim O’Donnell apparently made some “disparaging” remarks about electric vehicles, including his dislike for EV tax credits, and his belief that the battery range currently available makes them an unrealistic proposition for “at least 90 percent” of the population.

O’Donnell subsequently apologized for his remarks, and re-affirmed his commitment to BMW’s EV program, stating ”I want to stress I am 100% behind our company’s plans to design, develop, lease and sell electric vehicles. We are confident we are on the right path with the range and flexibility of the all-new BMW ActiveE and the forthcoming BMW i3 (seen above).”

For our part, we think O’Donnell was being candid and perhaps a bit too honest, especially regarding the company he works for, but we are inclined to agree with his original statements, despite our enthusiasm for electric car technology.

A program initiated by General Motors CEO Dan Akerson meant to cut $10,000 from the cost of the Chevrolet Volt is well under way, according to a report by the Detroit News.

“We have a cost reduction plan all the way through 2020 and Generation 3,” said Alan Taub, vice president for global research and development, while speaking to the paper at the SAE World Congress. “In fact, we’ve been challenged by our new leadership team to pull those earlier in time, and we’re on track to meet our new cost reduction targets.”

Taub said that the next generation will also improve battery technology as well as overall efficiency, and that the third generation would appear no later than 2020.

[Source: The Detroit News]

BMW and Chinese automaker Brilliance have joined forces to create a plug-in hybrid version of the 5-Series long wheelbase sedan sold in the Chinese market.

Set to be revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show in April, the 5-Series plug-in will back an unspecified displacement turbocharged engine making 215 horsepower and a 94 horsepower electric motor. The car can travel 47 miles on pure electric power at a speed of 37 mph. The 5-Series plug-in will be produced in 2013, but it will not be sold in other markets, as the car was specifically designed for the Chinese market and their needs.

[Source: Carscoop]

Has BMW, the maker of the ultimate (electric) driving machines decided to follow Chevrolet’s example?

Word from Munich today is that BMW’s head of electrical components, Dr. Christian Schmidt, said it is weighing the possibility of a range-extended engine to pair to electric vehicles.

For some time now BMW has said it would consider an array of gas-plus-electric possibilities. Its fully electric i3 prototype is on one extreme, and its mildly e-boosted 7 Series ActiveHybrid is on the other.

BMW’s pending i8 (pictured) is in the middle and closer to a range-extended car. With mid-mounted petrol engine plus one electric motor driving the front wheels and one driving the rear, it can go either all-electric around town or gas-plus electric for high performance.

The extended-range Chevrolet Volt couples a gas-powered generator to pick up when limited-range batteries would leave a driver stranded, and apparently BMW is seeing the logic in GM’s engineered compromise.

Rumors and conjecture abound state that battery energy density increases will make doing away with petrol power viable for cost-effective, longer-range, quicker charging EVs. One battery researcher working for EPRI, a non-profit utility company research arm, recently estimated a conservative doubling of power in the next 10 years.

BMW’s Schmidt did not say which BMWs could receive a range extender, but said the Mini E did not receive many range anxiety complaints. If BMW decides to go with a range extender, it will be one more gas-electric solution in its growing stable of partially electric vehicles.

[Source: Autoblog]

In case you were wondering, the plural term for Prius is “Prii.” You might want to remember that, because according to Toyota, the car is multiplying fast.

Its supply may be limited in parts by last month’s Japanese earthquake and tsunami, but that hasn’t stopped it from setting sales records, the most recent one being one million sold in the U.S.

In the past six months, Toyota said the Prius has seen three all-time milestones reached. Six months ago its global sales topped two million units, and by October, worldwide sales crossed the three-million mark.

“Since the Prius went on sale [in the U.S.] 11 years ago not a year has gone by when it hasn’t been the number one selling hybrid vehicle in the U.S.,” said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager. “Prius has become synonymous with the word ‘hybrid’ and as we see fuel prices starting to rise again, it has accounted for more than 60 percent of hybrid passenger car sales so far this year. “

Toyota said when compared to the average car, the Prius has saved Americans more than 881 million gallons of gasoline, $2.19 billion in fuel costs, and 12.4 million tons of CO2 emissions.

The Prius hybrid is now in its third generation, and was number one on the EPA’s 2011 list of the Most Fuel Efficient Vehicles for 2011. According to Toyota, more than 97 percent of all Toyota “Prii” sold since 2000 are still on the road.

[Source: Toyota]

Lexus will debut their LF-Gh Hybrid concept at the New York Auto Show, a car that will preview the next generation Lexus GS. The teaser photos don’t show much, but the car does look like a pretty radical departure from the previous designs, which were understated to say the least.

The concept is supposed to highlight the next move for Lexus’ “L-Finesse” design language, but we’ll reserve judgement until we see the final product.

Hit the jump for the official press release

[Source: Lexus]

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The Toyota Prius, beloved of eco-conscious of buyers in California, is in short supply in the Sunshine State, as high gas prices and production disruptions due to Japan’s natural disasters have caused dealers to either run low on supply or be completely out of stock.

Dealers, who report as little as a 14-day supply of the car (compared to an industry average of 90 days) are worrying as analysts predict that shipments of the car from its factory in Japan could lag by as much as 2,000 units through April. While Toyota has offered aggressive lease deals and incentives for the Prius, the average transaction price has gone up substantially, as dealers report a rapid sales increase in conjunction with rising gas prices. Toyota will not be continuing their incentives when they expire on April 4th.

[Source: Los Angeles Times]

Federal legislators have begun examining ways to tax highway users based on Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as a way to bring up shortfalls to the Highway Trust Fund.

A concern is that as fuel-efficient hybrids and plug-in cars increase, fuel tax generated revenues will do little for the already insufficient funding base.

In a Congressional Budget Office report released last week, ways were examined in great detail to begin tracking vehicles across the country via GPS, electronic sensors, and other sophisticated technology.

The Obama administration has said it wants $566 billion over the next six years to pay for the federal portion of roadway building improvements. States and local municipalities also pay for these projects.

Since 2008, the general fund had to be tapped for $30 billion to make up for deficits. Presently, gasoline is taxed at 18.4 cents per gallon, and diesel at 24.4 cents. This has been used until recently to raise needed revenues, but the U.S. DOT says it is now not enough.

Earlier in March, the Senate Budget Committee expressed concerns over super efficient vehicles getting away without paying an equitable share.

The CBO report was quickly generated to give policymakers info to better propose new road tax legislation. Other concerns raised by the CBO study are for lower income, urban, and rural dwellers. It made a case that VMT-based taxation could be more equitable, if not entirely so.

Concerns over citizens’ privacy would need to be tackled, as VMT monitoring involves nationwide tracking and reporting of drivers’ data. Also, figuring out how to fairly tax heavy trucks compared to much-lighter cars and many other issues would need to be settled.

Any possible scenario could be proposed. For example, fuel taxes could be eliminated, with the VMT taking over. Fuel taxes could be reduced, with VMT taking up the slack. Fuel taxes could be raised, and no move to impose the VMT could be chosen.

[Source: GM-Volt.com]

With the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid delayed due to a change to the pedestrian warning system, the Kia Optima Hybrid will face similar delays, with units expected to arrive at dealers sometime in the summer, a full 5 months later than planned.

The Optima Hybrid, being mechanically identical to the Sonata Hybrid, must also undergo the removal of a switch to disable the pedestrian warning system, which emits a sound to alert bystanders that the vehicle is running while the silent electric motor is online. Hyundai also wants the Sonata Hybrid to debut first, and with supplies trickling to dealers at a very slow rate, the Optima Hybrid must wait on the sidelines until the Sonata has made its presence known.

[Source: Wards Auto]

Word was leaked yesterday about a Buick version of the Chevrolet Volt being developed by GM.

The vehicle would be a more luxurious version of the already fairly upscale Volt, according to a report by Bloomberg.

This would make a fourth nameplate to carry a very similar platform. Already in Germany, Opel is showing its Volt-based Ampera, and in the UK, Vauxhall is preparing an Ampera as well.

The technology GM bases these cars on is called “Voltec,” and its development set GM back around $1 billion. It couples electric motors with a 1.4-liter gasoline-powered generator. A 16 kWh lithium-ion battery provides motive power for the electric drive.

The Volt car can travel in EV mode for about 35-50 miles, and early adopters have been reporting hundreds of miles traveled using little or no gasoline. GM’s CEO Dan Akerson has said it would develop other cars on four GM brands.  If approved, it could be hit production by 2013.

According to Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics in Birmingham, Mich., he has yet to see what can be done. “The Volt is already well-equipped,” Hall told Bloomberg. “It’s missing power seats and that’s about it. What else can you add to make it a premium car?”

Some ways an upscale version could be done would be to use lighter, more sophisticated materials to give more range to the car. Whether any changes would be made to the power train, such as a larger battery, is anyone’s guess.

Another analyst Bloomberg interviewed said she did not fully see the reasoning. “Why are they badge engineering?” said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with IHS Automotive, a research firm based in Lexington, Massachusetts. “The Ampera really is just the Volt.”

A GM spokesman would offer no comment on the Buick plans. The company wants to sell the Chevrolet Volt quickly. It says it is on target with its new-tech car roll out, and plans to build 10,000 this year, and 45,000 next year. It sells for $41,000 before a $7,500 federal tax incentive.

[Source: Bloomberg]

An expected announcement today by President Barack Obama will outline the federal government’s commitment to buy only advanced technology vehicles by 2015.

Only hybrids, plug-in electrics, and flex-fuel vehicles will be allowed into its present fleet of 600,000 vehicles. The government has already doubled its number of hybrids in keeping with existing mandates.

Full-size SUVs and other vehicles could still be allowed, but they would need to run on E85 ethanol.

Also expected from Obama’s Georgetown University speech today will be a strategy to cut oil imports by one third by 2025, while calling for a substantial increase in fuel economy for vehicles produced from 2017-2025.

The reduction could save the U.S. more than 11 million barrels per day, the White House said, which is the amount the U.S. imported in 2008.

Obama will also ask Congress to increase incentives to assist compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles for consumers, corporate and business fleets.

Today’s announcement will be just one of a long line of transportation energy measures tightening the belt in the face of ever diminishing oil supplies.

Last summer the White House supported a bill that would have approved $4 billion in assistance for CNG vehicles. That bill stalled in the last Congress, but did have some support from Republicans and Democrats.

In October 2009, the president directed federal agencies with 20 or more vehicles to cut fuel usage by 2 percent.

In 2010 the government bought 23,000 fuel-efficient vehicles, of which 9,000 were hybrids. This year the government will buy its first 100 battery electric vehicles, such as the Chevrolet Volt, shown above.

Concerned also with greenhouse gas emissions, a $300 million stimulus bill was approved by Congress in 2009. The White House also intends to finalize the first national fuel economy and greenhouse gas emission standards for commercial trucks, vans and buses.

These are planned to take effect in the 2014 model year and will cover the 2014-18 model years.

[Source: Detroit News]

With possibly just enough parts available to build two-thirds of its popular Prius hybrid, on Tuesday Toyota resumed production of that car, plus the Lexus HS250h, and CT 200h hybrids.

The assembly lines had been shut down following the Mar. 11 Japan earthquake, and resulting tsunami that is still causing trouble for the industry.

A Toyota spokesperson was not able to confirm restored production from one of three battery factories damaged during the natural calamity, and which normally supplies the Prius assembly line.

It is speculated by those in the know that the battery plant could still be out of business. If so, this would fit with previous Toyota warnings that U.S. Prius availability will be limited due to the affected battery plant.

[Source: Autoblog Green]

A MINI Cooper S fitted with an experimental hybrid all-wheel drive system was spotted testing in winter climates, a surprise move for BMW, which has given no indication it was developing such a car.

Sharp-eyed readers will not the electric motor mounted between the rear wheels, as well as the “hybrid” stickers mounted on the vehicle. A traditional gas engine provides power to the front wheels.

Considering MINI has their All4 AWD system already, it could become superfluous if the hybrid AWD setup becomes a fixture during the 2013 revamp of MINI’s lineup. With BMW developing hybrid technology in collaboration with Peugeot and Citroen, the cost of such a system would be spread across a large number of models, and thus make it an affordable option for MINI cars.

[Source: Left Lane News]

A Japanese factory that makes batteries for the Chevrolet Volt is back online today after being temporarily shut down since the March 11th earthquake.

Hitachi Automotive operates the three plants, one of which produces batteries for the Volt. GM has apparently ordered 100,000 battery packs for the Volt. The other two produce various vehicle components, including Tokico-brand suspension parts, engine computers and fuel systems.

A Hitachi spokesman in Japan told Automotive News that the plants were running at about 70 percent capacity. The plant is expected to reach full capacity by next week.

[Source: Automotive News]

The hybrid engine that first appeared in the Lotus Evora 414E concept is supposedly attracting interest from 3 major manufacturers, according, according to a Lotus official.

Chief project engineer Lee Jeffcoat told Inside Line that there is interest from “several OEMS in 5,000-10,000 units annually, for a potential annual output of 30,000 engines,” as well as smaller companies looking for 1,000 engines per year.

Among the unique features on the engine are an intake manifold pipes cast into the block, a vestige from the original prototype that used a combined head and block. The engine is capable of forced induction, but a supercharger apparently provides greater results. The engine can be packaged in nearly any configuration, and displacement has grown from 1.2L to 1.3L and now makes 47 horsepower, or 67 with the aide of a supercharger.

[Source: Inside Line]

An old finance maxim states that “by the time you’ve read about it, it’s already too late”, but that hasn’t stopped used car dealers from eagerly snapping up any 4-cylinder or hybrid vehicle as gas prices continue to climb.

With one dealer calling the sudden trend a “panic”, values of previously undesirable cars like the Chevrolet HHR have shot up to $11,000 from the $8,000 or $8,500 they previously commanded.

In an interview with Automotive News, a NADA guides official stated that prices for these types of cars will probably rise between 3 and 4 percent above what the NADA guides state, while SUV and truck prices are set to fall. However, NADA is not set to alter their residual values, in part because they feel that any major spike in gas prices will last for three years, roughly the same term as most leases.

[Source: Automotive News]

Who would have thought that punk icon Henry Rollins would ever end up doing voice-overs for a luxury car? Certainly not us, but while the punk days are over, Rollins is a tremendous speaker, and we’re looking forward to his work for Infiniti as the brand prepares to launch its new M Hybrid.

With 360 horsepower and an expected 32 mpg combined, the M Hybrid is more Porsche Panamera than Prius, but we’re hardly complaining. There’s also a great dig at Lexus if you look closely, and you can hit the jump to watch the ad for yourself.

[Source: Infiniti]

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The Hyundai Sonata’s production delay due to the removal of an on-off switch for its sound emitting device looks like a smart move now that the federal government is looking to not only make the devices mandatory for hybrid and electric cars, but bar automakers from allowing drivers to cancel the systems via a dash mounted switch.

Since vehicles with electric propulsion systems are silent at idle, or when the electric drive is engaged, regulatory bodies fear that pedestrians are at risk if they are unable to hear the vehicles. With some hybrids able to operate at up to 62 mph before the gas engine engages, their fears may not be unfounded.

NHTSA expects a definitive ruling within the next three years, but in the mean time, don’t expect automakers to hedge their bets any time soon, with new hybrids and EVs likely featuring a mandatory chirp or other noise when they hit the market.

[Source: Automotive News]

Designing a single car for the entire world is a tough proposition. No matter how hard engineers strive towards a unified design, concessions must usually be made, particularly with regards to engine and gearbox choices. Other instances have called for variations in size to suit regional tastes.

While the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze are technically world cars, albeit with different powertrains for different markets, Mitsubishi is forging ahead with a much more ambitious world car project.

In an interview with Autocar magazine, Mitsubishi‘s global product director, Gayu Eusegi, said that the company was limiting regional changes to its not Global Small Car “colours and interior fabrics”, and that engine variations would only be carried out in the name of meeting emissions standards.

Mitsubishi is apparently planning on using 1.0L and 1.2L gasoline engines, with a start-stop system. While such small engines are the norm in most markets, they would be considered extremely undersized for North America. Mitsubishi also plans on offering hybrid and full electric versions of the car.

[Source: Autocar]

Toyota‘s plus-sized Prius, the Prius V, has began production, and will start at $28,600 in Japan, roughly $3,700 more than the standard Prius.

Many feel that the price will be closer to $27,000 in the United States, although the American-spec Prius V will lack the third row seat. Toyota claims that this feature would not meet American buyers expectations, ostensibly because it is too small.

The Prius V will also be the first Toyota vehicle to undergo the company’s enhanced quality control procedures. “We found several issues,” said Hiroshi Masaki, a Toyota engineer who spoke to Automotive News. “There was a lot more testing of how different systems interact with each other.”

[Source: Automotive News]

For all the dismissive attitudes surrounding GM CEO Dan Akerson, his latest machinations seem particularly astute, even if they don’t quite jibe with the tastes of “car guys”.

For months, Akerson has been creating a contingency plan for when oil prices rise to $120 per barrel. Akerson is on record stating that “I don’t think the industry learned a lot of lessons from 2008 — they will this time around,” and who can blame the guy. GM was sunk last time around in part because there were too many SUVs and trucks sitting on dealer lots when gas prices were high and credit was unavailable.

Cars like the Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic (above) and Buick Verano should help flesh out a lineup that was devoid of small cars during the last crisis, and Akerson has also demanded that the company find ways to reduce the cost of the Chevrolet Volt by $10,000. GM sources say that the goal has nearly been achieved, and that the Volt could either see an increase in production, a price cut – or more likely, a bump in profits for GM.

[Source: Detroit News]

During Audi‘s presentation at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show, a company spokesman praised the Audi Q5 Hybrid’s as a usable everyday car and not “…a complicated political statement. While this swipe at a well-known rival may be over the line to some observers, the fact is that they compete for two very different customer bases.

Audi claims that the Q5 Hybrid will best all segment rivals in terms of performance, practicality and efficiency. While we don’t have the numbers off-hand, we’re sure that for the kind of urban driving that crossovers tend to do, the Q5 Hybrid makes a lot of sense. Starting with Audi’s much loved 2.0T engine, the Q5 adds a 44-horsepower electric motor to the already potent 208 horsepower. Total torque output is 354 lb-ft, helping the car get to 60 mph in 7 seconds.

With an electric-only driving range of just under 2 miles, trips to the store could probably be done emissions free. Not that most buyers will care. The status of owning a hybrid is all they need to do their part for planet earth.

GALLERY: Audi Q5 Hybrid